Bill Clinton: “In recognition of National Crime Victim's Week, I am proud to reintroduce the ``Compassionate Assistance for Rape…”

“In recognition of National Crime Victim's Week, I am proud to reintroduce the ``Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies Act,'' a bill that will help rape and incest survivors across the country get the medical care they need and deserve. Women deserve access to emergency contraception. For millions of women, it represents peace of mind. For survivors of rape and incest, it allows them to avoid the additional trauma of facing an unintended pregnancy. This bill makes emergency contraception available for survivors of rape and incest at any hospital receiving public funds. Every 2 minutes a woman is sexually assaulted in the U.S. and each year, 25 to 32,000 women become pregnant as a result of rape or incest. According to a study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 50 percent of those pregnancies end in abortion. By providing access to emergency contraception, up to 95 percent of those unintended pregnancies could be prevented if emergency contraception is administered within the first 24 to 72 hours.”