Under Obama Illinois makes women pay for their own rape kits
By Taskr36
@Taskr36 (13963)
United States
September 23, 2008 12:13am CST
That's right folks. In his own state, where Obama was a State Senator from 1997 - 2004 and where he is currently a US senator, women are still being charged for their own rape kits. I hope this puts things into perspective for all those who would smear Palin. Note that Illinois has a fair bit more rapes than Wasilla, a city which rarely has more than 1 rape a year.
"Knecht says she's recently heard from caseworkers in Illinois, Georgia, and Arkansas reporting that rape victims continue to be charged for their forensic exams."
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/on-health-and-money/2008/2/21/rape-victims-can-be-hurt-financially-too.html
Illinois’ rate of forcible rape is 45 rapes per 100,000 people, which is significantly higher than the national average of 33 reported rapes per 100,000 people. (FBI, Uniform Crime Report 2002)
http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/communities/somb/stats.html
5 people like this
17 responses
@kenzie45230 (3560)
• United States
23 Sep 08
Thanks. The media and bloggers made such a big stink about this happening in Alaska (which was changed in 2001, I believe). Since then, it's been pointed out that it is a common practice all over the US. Why didn't we know this before????
3 people like this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
23 Sep 08
I think it's terrible that it happens at all. I'm just offended that the media hunted down this information about Alaska while ignoring the fact that it's been happening much more recently in Illinois. Obama's minions jumped all over it, but have no real excuse for why it doesn't concern them at all regarding Obama.
1 person likes this
@kerriannc (4279)
• Jamaica
23 Sep 08
I would like to ask you one questions. Is it that Obama makes the laws or he draft a bill and ask it to be pass in the house. Everyday you all comes in here saying Obama this and Obama that like he is the only one who pass law in the Illinois state. I believe there is a process and persons who are willing to accuse should remember that.
3 people like this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
23 Sep 08
Actually I'm not accusing him of anything. I'm merely pointing out that this has been going on under his watch the same way it did in Wasilla when Palin was mayor. The difference is that in Palin's case, everyone assumes she knew about, and wholeheartedly supported it. In Obama's case everyone's completely willing to assume he knew nothing about it and would never support it. It's just the double standard that I'm putting out there for all to see.
1 person likes this
@CherylsPearls (1269)
• United States
23 Sep 08
Give me a break! Everyone is so quick to talk about Palin's "executive" experience; where was it when this was being done in her town? lol The fact is, she is a woman, and should have been even more vigilant about things like this. And was it the entire state of Alaska? From what I've seen, the Governor of Alaska pretty much signed the bill to stop the practice because of Wasilla, the pitbull's own little town. Correct?
1 person likes this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
23 Sep 08
Thank you Cheryl. You provided the exact response that one would expect from Obama's minions. I really appreciate your willingness to live down to my expectations. Not only did you bring her gender into the picture, but you think she should be more dilligent about something that happens once or twice a year in Wasilla, but happens hundreds of times in Illinois.
FYI, the person claiming the law was passed just for Wasilla was the same man who Palin beat in the election when she was made governor. He left out the fact that the same practice was happening in Juneau, which is a much larger city with more rapes.
"One woman who wrote in support of the legislation says she was charged for her rape exam by a police department in the city of Juneau, which is hundreds of miles from Wasilla."
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/21/palin.rape.exams/index.html#cnnSTCText
1 person likes this
@CherylsPearls (1269)
• United States
23 Sep 08
Mayor. She was responsible for city employees. She fired one police chief, hired another; evidence is that the police chief she fired did not charge victims for rape kits. The police chief she hired, however, did charge for the rape kits.
Her duties as Mayor are here: http://www.cityofwasilla.com/index.aspx?page=136
Palin signed the annual financial report, swearing that the data included in it was accurate. Did she lie? Oh, never that!
1 person likes this
@Uroborus (908)
• Canada
23 Sep 08
Um....so are you saying that he supports this practice or is it just that he happens to be a Senator at a time when others have supported this? Please show me something that says he supports this if you claim that he does. A senator doesn't single handedly just pass new laws without getting the support of others who make the law. Just being a politician in the state in no way means that he is the one who passed this law, or supports it.
3 people like this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
23 Sep 08
I choose the latter. I'm betting he doesn't even know about it just as I don't believe Sarah Palin knew that it was happening in Wasilla. Obama's fans have already assumed that she knew all about it and none would even begin to think otherwise so I felt it would be good to see how they reacted when I showed them it happened in Illinois as well.
2 people like this
@goldeneagle (6743)
• United States
23 Sep 08
yet this is the man that people seem to want running our country??? God help us if this fool gets elected...
2 people like this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
23 Sep 08
To be fair, I don't think he supports this practice at all. I was posting this to bring the issue to light since many seem to believe this only happened in Wasilla back in the 90s when in fact it's happening now. Based on the article I linked you can see that it's not just limited to Illinois either.
2 people like this
@newtondak (3946)
• United States
23 Sep 08
First, I'll have to say that I, in no way, am an Obama supporter, but I do have to say that not two week ago, this exact same post appeared regarding Sarah Palin and making women in Alaska pay for their own rape kids. I believe the information actually surfaced at that time that his is a Federal regulation that is imposed upon the States.
1 person likes this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
23 Sep 08
I brought this up because nobody has addressed it whereas Palin is consistently attacked over the same thing. I just wanted to see how the Obama supporters would react after bashing Palin so hard over the same issue. Frankly I think there should be federal legislation forcing police departments to pay for rape kits.
2 people like this
@newtondak (3946)
• United States
23 Sep 08
I believe this discussion is about who gets charged for rape kids not whether someone does or doesn't believe in abortion - but since you opened up the topic: I believe in a recent interview, Sarah Palin expressed several times that this is her personal belief - not that she was intending to force her belief on everyone else. In other words, if she were to be come pregnant from rape, her personal beliefs would not allow her to have an abortion - but she's not telling you or anyone else that they can't have an abortion or that she's supporting laws that prohibit it.
Our leaders very often have differing personal beliefs from at least part of the general population as well as some members of Congress or of the Supreme Court, and contrary to what some people seem to believe, the President and Vice-President do not have the sole power to mandate that abortions be legal or illegal.
@Pitgull (1522)
• United States
23 Sep 08
Have people in these states written to their senators about this? Maybe that's what needs to happen...
Palin's views are clear on rape and abortion. Pay for the kid, live with the consequences of another person's actions. That about sums it up.
While the child might be resented by the emotionally distraught mother, and what type of lifestyle does that conduce? What about the cost, the decision involved, and the idea that a child deserves to have a father?
There is no option for him to be involved in the child's life. So how can this be morally justified?
Post-partum depression....high potential, infanticide cause by ppd? Good chances. Who's the real victim here? Wake up people
1 person likes this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
23 Sep 08
Well the legislation to stop this in Alaska was passed back in 2000, so it's a moot point now. It's only being used to bash Palin at this point. I checked and there actually is legislation in Illinois against this, but the language is sketchy. It allows cities to charge the victims for rape kits, but they can appeal to be reimbursed. I'm amazed that this happens in several different places and yet it hasn't gotten media attention until being used to smear a candidate.
@starr4all (2863)
•
25 Sep 08
I've already said my disgust about the whole issue. But yet again, it's another reason I'm disgusted with the democrats (I'm a democrat). They go after her like pitbulls over this. But, their own candidate did as well and they ignore it. Unbelievable the hypocracy.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
23 Sep 08
It won't matter to the Obamabots because Gov. Palin is a woman, and Obama is a Democrat.
What does either have to do with anything? Nothing, but that's the gist of what Democrats seem to find wrong with Gov. Palin and right with Obama.
Nothing else seems to really matter.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
23 Sep 08
Yes, and I thought my reply reflected that... maybe not. ;~D
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
15 Jul 10
So not only is the woman attacked and raped and put through the humiliation of a rape exam but she gets to pay for it as well? Talk about crazy...it makes me wonder how many women don't report their rape b/c they can't afford it?
[b]**AT PEACE WITHIN** 
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~[/b]
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~[/b]
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
23 Sep 08
I would venture to say many people did not know of this practice. Just by trying to find whatever dirt they could on Sarah Palin, this has been brought to the attention of those who had no idea this was happening. So inspite of their attempts, they actually might have done a good thing.
1 person likes this
@blackmantra_x (2732)
• Philippines
24 Sep 08
Now what fools legislated that kind of bill making women pay for their own rape kits? I mean aren't being rape torment enough added with pain and now this humiliation? What kind of officials are we having making foolish bills like this?
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
24 Sep 08
I'm sure nobody would ever legislate a bill making women pay for their own rape kits. These policies are likely set by police chiefs in specific cities and districts. I don't think any politician would ever be stupid enough to legislate or support such a policy.
@relundad (2310)
• United States
24 Sep 08
I am sitting here relaxed and ready to get blasted by all, from both sides. Ready? Here we go...
Whats really the big deal about the police departments charging for the rape kit? Somebody has to pay for it, right? Maybe its the the word RAPE, that bothers most people. I don't know about any other place but ANYTHING that I have ever had done as it relates to the police department here where I live YOU pay. Whats the difference in paying for the rape kit and paying for the police report when you are the victim of any other crime?
If you go the hospital for a gunshot wound or say you are involved in a car accident, that was no fault of yours, who pays that bill? Right, you do. You don't get a free ticket because you are the victim of a crime in any other situation.
Okay I will take all blastings starting now....
@relundad (2310)
• United States
24 Sep 08
I hear your point. The road has already been paved and the reality is that we pay, one way or the other. The reality is victim or not you are going to pay. We always have and always will. There are the cases where its not affordable for the victim and provisions are made on a case by case basis.
@chameleonsdream (1230)
• United States
24 Sep 08
I'm not blasting, just pointing out a difference here. A rape kit is to collect evidence to be used in apprehending and prosecuting a criminal. Generally, a police report is for your own use - for instance, to present to an insurance company as proof that something was stolen from you.
Paying for a police report is one thing. Paying for the supplies used to investigate the crime is something totally different. I would no sooner expect the victim of a home break-in to pay for the fingerprint dust used to collect evidence or the family of a murder victim to pay for the supplies the forensics team uses to collect evidence than I would expect the victim of a rape to pay for the supplies used to collect evidence.
@collieluv28 (388)
• United States
24 Sep 08
It's bad enough when a woman is violated in this manner then has to go through a humiliating exam, but to then have to pay for it is inexcusable. I wasn't aware that this was going on in Illinois as well so I did a little research & found a blog that referred to House Bill 1814, state of Illinois; a bill that Obama co-sponsored. It ammends the Crime Victims Compensation Act & basically states that the Illinois Dept. of Public Aid will reimburse any "out-of-pocket medical expenses, loss of earnings, psychological counseling, and loss of support income due to the crime" up to $27,000. I don't know why rape victims are continuing to be charged for rape kits but Obama did do something about this.
@Samanthavv (1380)
• United States
24 Sep 08
That's disgusting. The doctor is going to be like "You got raped? I'm so sorry. Here's your bill. Enjoy the herpes." That's so messed up.
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
25 Sep 08
Thankfully i don't live there, but if he becomes Our Leader who knows what will happen???
