Wisconsin Reproductive Access Project Finds Limited Access to Emergency Contraception in Wisconsin
Today the Wisconsin Reproductive Access Project, a project of NARAL WI Foundation, Inc., formally released a report, “Revictimization: Access to Emergency Contraception in Wisconsin Emergency Rooms Denied.”
This report demonstrates that many women, including victims of sexual assault, cannot access emergency contraception in their communities. Emergency contraception is not medical abortion, but rather prevents unintended pregnancy in the vast majority of cases when used properly within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse or contraceptive failure. In fact, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) estimates that if every heterosexually active woman had access to emergency contraception, the annual number of unintended pregnancies would be reduced by 1.2 million. Among our most important findings:
• Only half of Wisconsin emergency rooms routinely prescribe emergency contraception.
• At slightly more than 25% of hospitals, staff will not even prescribe emergency contraception to victims of sexual assault.
• Twenty one Wisconsin counties do not have a single hospital that will prescribe emergency contraception. This means that more than 350,000 women of reproductive age are unable to access emergency contraception near their homes, even in cases of sexual assault.
• Most alarming, several hospital staff people suggested that the burden is on a woman seeking emergency contraception to “prove” that she is a victim of sexual assault in order to access this important alternative.
This report will provide the foundation for NARAL WI Foundation’s effort in the coming months to educate widely in Dane, Milwaukee and Waukesha counties about emergency contraception and mobilize to create demand within these communities for improved access to emergency contraception. Additionally, “Revictimization: Access to Emergency Contraception in Wisconsin Emergency Rooms Denied” demonstrates the vital nature of the Emergency Contraception in the Emergency Room Bill, a central component of our pro-choice, progressive legislative agenda this year.
To request copies of the Wisconsin Reproductive Access Project reports, please call 414-271-4811 or 608-287-0016.
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