# Guess what Alaska city charged for rape exams? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 9, 2008, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-what-alaska-city-charged-for-rape-exams/462792 "2008-09-09T15:59:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-what-alaska-city-charged-for-rape-exams/462792/61 "2008-09-10T01:40:52Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > I explicitly stated that the bill should be paid, and i even gave an example of how it should happen. There should be a mechanism in place whereby the medical facility can bill the government. You’re arguing what should happen. I’m telling you what does happen. In your mind, who should get the bill if there isn’t a mechanism in place to bill the government? ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-what-alaska-city-charged-for-rape-exams/462792/62 "2008-09-10T03:18:24Z")
> [@USCDiver](#): > > You’re arguing what should happen. I’m telling you what does happen. > > In your mind, who should get the bill if there isn’t a mechanism in place to bill the government? Not really interested, because it shouldn’t be an issue. The government is the entity responsible for police and other criminal investigative work. If it wants and needs a rape exam for the purposes of conducting investigations into sexual assault cases, it should ensure that those are paid for out of the same funds that cover other investigative work. Period. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-what-alaska-city-charged-for-rape-exams/462792/63 "2008-09-10T03:42:47Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > The reason (for me at least) that the whole rape exam issue described in the OP was so outrageous is that a rape exam is not done so much for the purpose of treatment as for investigative and evidentiary reasons. Treatment is generally separate from the exam, or rape kit. The results of the rape exam constitute a central and essential tool for law enforcement in their pursuit of the case, and so the exam/kit should be paid for by the state. more to the point, **one** of the primary functions of the rape exam is to determine whether a rape took place – i.e., whether the woman is lying. This is an important issue, since rape accusations are emotionally charged, and false accusations should be ruled out. But it makes it all the crueler to charge the victim cash money to see if she’s lying. Sailboat ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-what-alaska-city-charged-for-rape-exams/462792/64 "2008-09-10T12:38:08Z")
Am I on everyone’s ignore list? The practice of billing rape victims for their exams goes on all over this country. It is not some despicable special case in Wasilla, AK. I agree that it shouldn’t go on. I’m calling my state legislator today to find out what the policy is here, in my state. If it is going on here, I plan to ask my legislator to help end the practice. ---
**Author:** ![Discordia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Discordia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Discordia)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-what-alaska-city-charged-for-rape-exams/462792/65 "2008-09-10T13:11:33Z")
Corruption goes on all over this continent (and the rest of the world really). I’m still pretty pissed off that my government seems to be full of corrupt fucks. In other words, that police chief, and Ms Palin for appointing him (and many other reasons) are douchebags, and the fact that there are douchebags everywhere else too is irrelevant. I hope your request is successful if your state is also run by douchebags. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-what-alaska-city-charged-for-rape-exams/462792/66 "2008-09-10T18:55:24Z")
> [@Cub\_Mistress](#): > > Am I on everyone’s ignore list? Why would you think that? A few people in this thread have specifically acknowledged that it happens elsewhere, and i don’t think anyone has claimed that Wasilla is unique. > [@Cub\_Mistress](#): > > The practice of billing rape victims for their exams goes on all over this country. It is not some despicable special case in Wasilla, AK. I don’t think a single person in this thread has made a claim to the contrary. Every post i have made about the problem in this thread is about the general issue, not about Wasilla specifically. My argument would be the same if the town in question were Wasilla, Alaska or Washington DC. The fact that it might go on in numerous jurisdictions doesn’t change my opinion of the practice, nor of any politician or police department who would enforce it. ---
**Author:** ![Influential\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Influential\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Influential_Panda)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-what-alaska-city-charged-for-rape-exams/462792/67 "2008-09-10T21:18:31Z")
> [@Spiny\_Norman](#): > > Chief Fannon could have a poor conviction rate? It appears he considers investigations a burden on the taxpayer. Well, it is. If you can’t bill the defense, and you can’t bill the prosecution, you bill the taxpayer. In fact, that this _isn’t_ being billed to the taxpayer is part of your original rant. Right? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-what-alaska-city-charged-for-rape-exams/462792/68 "2008-09-10T22:33:20Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > About those (seeming low) rape statistics, if poor women knew they would get charged for being raped and reporting it, that would be a damned good incentive to not report it. As if there aren’t enough incentives to not report rape. My thoughts exactly. The link just said ‘rapes.’ Rape victims have enough road blocks – mental, social and legal – when it comes to getting tested (getting someone to actually _process_ the kits is [another story](http://www.rapekitfoundation.org/). Think that costs extra?). I can’t even imagine how adding a financial burden to the mix fucks up reporting even more. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-what-alaska-city-charged-for-rape-exams/462792/69 "2008-09-10T23:04:37Z")
C’mon, guys. Put two and two together. Sarah Palin governed a city whose policy was to make rape victims pay for their rape exams, thus reducing rape cliams and hindering investigations. Sarah Palin would force women who have been raped to have their rapists’ babies. Sarah Palin is pro-rape. ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-what-alaska-city-charged-for-rape-exams/462792/70 "2008-09-10T23:13:24Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Why would you think that? A few people in this thread have specifically acknowledged that it happens elsewhere, and i don’t think anyone has claimed that Wasilla is unique.I don’t think a single person in this thread has made a claim to the contrary. Every post i have made about the problem in this thread is about the general issue, not about Wasilla specifically. My argument would be the same if the town in question were Wasilla, Alaska or Washington DC. > > The fact that it might go on in numerous jurisdictions doesn’t change my opinion of the practice, nor of any politician or police department who would enforce it. It just seems to me that many people in this thread only want to score political points off the tragedy of rape victims, not like, ya know, **do** anything about it. I have an appointment to see a state legislator tomorrow to see what is done here in my town and state. He’s up for reelection so I think I might get him to pay attention. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-what-alaska-city-charged-for-rape-exams/462792/71 "2008-09-12T23:05:29Z")
Not speaking for the source, but this article claims that Palin was directly involved with the policy change to bill rape victims. > **[HuffPost - Breaking News, U.S. and World News](https://www.huffpost.com/?err_code=404&err_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fjacob-alperinsheriff%2Fsarah-palin-instituted-ra_b_125833.html)** > > Read the latest headlines, news stories, and opinion from Politics, Entertainment, Life, Perspectives, and more. It’s Huffington Post, so I make no guarantee of its reliability, though he does link to the City of Wasilla’s documents regarding the city budget. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-what-alaska-city-charged-for-rape-exams/462792/72 "2008-09-12T23:17:20Z")
More info on the incidence of this nationally from [here](http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-09-10-rape-exams_N.htm): > [@](#): > > Nationally, victims’ advocates have for years reported scattered instances of rape victims being required to pay for their forensic tests, says Ilse Knecht of the National Center for Victims of Crime in Washington. Those complaints have subsided somewhat after Congress in 2005 passed a law requiring states to provide rape exams free of charge or reimburse victims for the costs, says Knecht, whose group supported the provision. > > “The reason we passed the legislation was that we saw it was prevalent enough to be a pretty considerable problem,” Knecht says. “There are no other victims of crime that end up being billed for evidence collection.” > > The Senate version of the legislation that included the rape-exam provision was sponsored by Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, the Democratic vice presidential nominee. Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama was one of 58 co-sponsors; Republican presidential nominee John McCain was not. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2008, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-what-alaska-city-charged-for-rape-exams/462792/73 "2008-09-13T02:54:59Z")
> [@Maeglin](#): > > Ok. So the municipal government can extend an interest free loan to the victim with repayment contingent on a successful conviction. The state can recoup its costs without adding insult to the victim’s injury. There will be cases where a true victum’s rapist is found not guilty. It’s just a side affect of our justice system. I don’t know how to fix it, and that’s another issue for another day. The point is how would feel to have to pay a thousand bucks after someone violated your body and went free? Would adding to that extreme trauma for a victim be worth paying a few bucks less on in taxes? Not to mention cases of poverty. Having to risk paying a $1,000 you don’t have unless you starve would mean alot more cases of rape go unreported. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-what-alaska-city-charged-for-rape-exams/462792/74 "2008-09-14T01:14:00Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > More info on the incidence of this nationally from [here](http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-09-10-rape-exams_N.htm): If I had been a senator, I’d have voted against this bill as well. It’s an improper exercise of Congressional power. What part of the Constitution gives Congress the power to legislate such a requirement? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-what-alaska-city-charged-for-rape-exams/462792/75 "2008-09-14T01:31:39Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > If I had been a senator, I’d have voted against this bill as well. It’s an improper exercise of Congressional power. > > What part of the Constitution gives Congress the power to legislate such a requirement? This may be true, but I have no idea how it applies to the OP, which is all about state and local law. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-what-alaska-city-charged-for-rape-exams/462792/76 "2008-09-14T01:36:55Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > If I had been a senator, I’d have voted against this bill as well. It’s an improper exercise of Congressional power. > > What part of the Constitution gives Congress the power to legislate such a requirement? How about the Equal Protection clause? If you can’t afford a rape kit, you can’t be protected from rapists? Only (relatively) wealthy people can afford to have a rapist prosecuted by paying for the evidence tests. But IANAlawyer, I’m just guessing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-what-alaska-city-charged-for-rape-exams/462792.md?page=3)