[Vision2020] Rape Kit Costs

[Dan Carscallen]

No apologies necessary, Tom.

Chief Weaver is very approachable, and I'm not offended by you going
ahead with your questions.

DC

-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com
[mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com] On Behalf Of Tom Hansen
Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2008 1:51 PM
To: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Rape Kit Costs


My apologies to Dan "The Area Man" Carscallen for jumping the gun on
this 
issue.

I had already sent the email before I had recevied his email
acknowledging 
his willingness to researchi this topic.

Again, my apologies, Area Man.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

------

> Chief Weaver -
> 
> While browsing around the internet I came across a blog entry, from 
> the
US 
> News and World report, concerning costs related to processing and
> administering rape kits being passed on to the victims.  This blog
entry 
> is pasted below.
> 
> As atrocious as this practice seems to be, it is also reported (in the
> blog entry) that such costs normally become the responsibility of the 
> victim in many communities.
> 
> My question:  Without violating any confidentiality, may I ask what 
> the
> practice is of Moscow, if you are aware of such information.
> 
> Thank you for your anticipated reponse.
> 
> Respectfully,
> 
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
> 
> >From US News and World Report at:
> 
> http://tinyurl.com/6j4ma4
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Sarah Palin and the Rape Kit Question
> 
> The blogosphere is reporting that when she was mayor of Wasilla, 
> Alaska,
> in the late 1990s, Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah
Palin's 
> municipal police department charged rape victims for the "rape kit"
used 
> to collect the forensic evidence necessary to convict their attackers.

> According to reports, this changed in 2000 when then Alaska Gov. Tony 
> Knowles signed a bill protecting rape victims from being charged. As I

> wrote recently, however, the situation described in Wasilla is not 
unique. 
> In all too many instances, women are still being stuck with the bill 
> for
> rape kits. This despite the fact that in order to qualify for federal 
> grants under the Violence Against Women Act, states are supposed to
pick 
> up the entire tab. 
> 
> If on her watch Sarah Palin allowed women to be charged for rape kits,
she 
> has some serious explaining to do. But while she's undoubtedly the 
> most
> visible offender, if the story is true, she's unfortunately not the
only 
> one to have permitted this reprehensible practice. 
> 
> 
> 
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"Jesus was a community organizer and Poncius Pilate was a governor."

- Marilyn Trail, sister of Representative Tom trail (September 8, 2008)

----

"We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students. The college 
students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."

- Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)


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 List services made available by First Step Internet, 
 serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.   
               http://www.fsr.net                       
          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
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