Rape Kits And How The Media Colors The Truth

“Saracuda” Palin has been under attack from the left as soon as she stepped out on to the stage with John McCain.

To quote one of my other articles…

The left has screamed about how she wants to overturn Roe v Wade and teach creationism in schools but these attacks have not worked, so they continue to scream about these things and have moved on to several other attacks in tandum.

They have slanderously lied about her cutting funding for everything from special needs kids to pregnant teenage moms, both of which hit Sarah suspiciously close to home because she has a pregnant teenage daughter and a son with Downs syndrome.  These accusations turned out to be not only untrue, but it turns out that she increased funding to these programs by as much as 300%.

Then came the horrendous personal attacks which devolved into everything from calling her white trash pornstar look-a-like, to articles talking about masturbatory fantasy involving a Palin, a threesome and the Constitution.  One journalist even sunk so low as to as the question about whether Palin played the “retard card.”

And none of it has worked.  Actually, the attacks have seemed to backfire.

.

Sarah Palin is a social and fiscal conservative with a real record of success and reform…

She scared the bejesus out of the left.

So, like the accusations now coming out of the Troopergate scenario that try to paint her as being against an anti-sexual violence program we get the newest attack that is attempting to drive a wedge between Palin and the women’s demographic.

The newest attack swirling around the internet is that Sarah Palin MADE rape victims pay for their Rape Kits while she was mayor of Wasilla.

This is not true.  No such order ever came out of Palin’s office as mayor.

In addition, the VICTIMS were not charged for the kits.

Here is the truth.

First, the order to charge for the kits came out of the Police Chief’s office, not the Office of the Mayor.

Second, the practice was generally followed for several years before Palin became mayor.

The City of Wasilla and the Police Department “charged the cost of exams to victim’s insurance companies when possible” and deferred the costs of the rape kits – So, the VICTIMS were not charged.  Only, WHEN POSSIBLE, were INSURANCE COMPANIES charged.

If the city were to cover all of the costs, another $15,000 annually out of the police department’s budget…  and in a city of only 10,000 or so, that is a heck of a lot of money, something that the POLICE CHIEF wished to avoid.

The ONLY objection to a bill making it mandatory that the city, county or state pay for any and all forensic investigations, including “rape kits,” from ANY office in Wasilla came out of the Police Chief’s office.

According to USA Today,

Rape victims in several areas of Alaska, including the Matanuska-Susitna Valley where Wasilla is, complained about being charged for the tests….  Nationally, victims’ advocates have for years reported scattered instances of rape victims being required to pay for their forensic tests, says Ilse Knecht of the National Center for Victims of Crime in Washington.

So this was not something that was unique to Wasilla.  It’s not like this was some sort of diabolical plan cooked up by the evil Princess Palin.

In addition, the Palin camp has released the following statement,

the governor “does not believe, nor has she ever believed, that rape victims should have to pay for an evidence-gathering test.”

“Gov. Palin’s position could not be more clear,” she said. “To suggest otherwise is a deliberate misrepresentation of her commitment to supporting victims and bringing violent criminals to justice.”

….The campaign cited the governor’s record on domestic violence, including increasing funding for shelters.

And they are right to cite her record, which has been quite good on assistance to women and has been greatly distorted by the media (here, here, and here).

.

So…  here’s the summary:

Did it happen? Yes.  But INSURANCE companies were charged, not VICTIMS.

Was Wasilla the only town that did this? No, it was common in AK and happened all over the country.

Was it Palin’s idea? No, it was not.  It was common practice before she assumed office.

Did Palin ever argue for the practice? No.  Not one peep.

How is her record on other women’s issues? Pretty good.  She increased funding for a variety of programs that assisted women by up to 300%.

.

.

Now that you know the truth, the rest is for you to decide.