[Anyone] Palin and rape kits:

[totem at laplaza.org]

 This is an article about Palin's move as mayor to make rape victims pay to collect the evidence in their 
cases...opinionated, but fair in the sense that we should have an answer as to what motivated her 
choices to implement the policy...
 http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/opinion/26fri4.html?
_r=1&em=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1222456111-c1LNosO7ecwYQBtEdWhANQ  
Even in tough budget times, there are lines that cannot be crossed. So I was startled by this tidbit 
reported recently by The Associated Press: When Sarah Palin was mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, the small 
town began billing sexual-assault victims for the cost of rape kits and forensic exams.


Ms. Palin owes voters an explanation. What was the thinking behind cutting the measly few thousand 
dollars needed to cover the yearly cost of swabs, specimen containers and medical tests? Whose dumb 
idea was it to make assault victims and their insurance companies pay instead? Unfortunately, her 
campaign is shielding the candidate from the press, so Americans may still be waiting for answers on 
Election Day.

The rape-kit controversy is a troubling matter. The insult to rape victims is obvious. So is the sexism 
inherent in singling them out to foot the bill for investigating their own case. And the main result of 
billing rape victims is to protect their attackers by discouraging women from reporting sexual assaults.