WILLIAMS TALKS ABOUT EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION

 HARRISBURG, SEPT. 13 – State Sen. Connie Williams today spoke about victims rights and called on her colleagues to help Pennsylvania rape victims.

 In comments to Fox 29, Philadelphia this morning, Williams spoke about the need for new state laws to require emergency rooms to provide rape victims with not only access to a sexual assault counselor, but also information about emergency contraception and the opportunity to obtain it if they choose.

 During her interview she spoke about a Central Pennsylvania woman who was denied access to emergency contraception in the emergency room and who, when she finally did obtain a prescription for emergency contraception, had difficulty having the prescription filled at a pharmacy.

 "This legislation is about common sense and compassionate treatment of sexual assault victims," Williams said.

 As one of two prime sponsors of legislation that would establish the CARE Act (SB 990), Williams has been an outspoken advocate for victims' rights.

 "While it is important to talk about what the legislation – the CARE Act – would do, it is just as important to talk about what it is not," Williams said. "It is not an attempt to subvert religious beliefs concerning contraception. It is not an attempt to promote promiscuity. And it is not a political statement on abortion. To the contrary, access to emergency contraception will reduce the need for abortion by giving women who have been raped the opportunity to use birth control to protect against becoming pregnant from a criminal act."

 In July, the story of a Lebanon rape victim who was initially denied a prescription for emergency contraception by an emergency room doctor who felt he could not prescribe the medication because of his own religious beliefs brought the issue to the forefront, sparking a public debate.

 "It is totally unacceptable that it took a single brave act of the family of a rape victim who told their story to the media to drive home the reason why this legislation is needed. The reality is, however, that half of Pennsylvania's hospitals do not routinely tell rape victims about the availability of emergency contraception, nor do they provide information on (or access to) a sexual assault counselor," Williams said. "When a woman is raped she is frightened and she is injured. Rape victims need medical treatment, just the same as someone injured in an automobile accident or someone who develops any type of ailment. Unfortunately, many in society view how a woman handles this care after being raped as a personal statement of her moral beliefs."

 Williams added that the CARE Act will not foist emergency contraception on anyone, but will only ensure that victims are aware of all of their options.

 A news conference was held in Harrisburg today to discuss the need for the CARE Act (S.B. 990 and H.B. 2159), and to push for passage of the measure.

 Emergency contraception is a high dose of the same medication found in birth control pills. It can prevent a pregnancy, but does not end an established pregnancy. It should be taken within 120 hours after a rape crisis.

 It has been estimated that 25,000 women become pregnant each year from rape. With emergency contraception 88 percent of those pregnancies could have been prevented.

 Williams noted that the safety and efficacy of emergency contraception has only been strengthened by the recent approval of the Morning After Pill by the Food and Drug Administration for distribution over the counter to women 18 and over.