Re-victimization - Rape victims can face huge hospital bills if they seek help

Last edited Tue Nov 22, 2022, 09:38 AM - Edit history (1)

A new study found uninsured survivors of sexual violence were charged an average of $3,673 for visiting the emergency room.

When victims of rape or sexual violence seek emergency medical assistance following an attack, they may be saddled with hundreds or even thousands of dollars in medical bills, a new study published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine found.

These bills can further traumatize victims, the study authors warn, and deter others from seeking professional help. Only one-fifth of sexual violence victims are estimated to seek medical care following an attack.

Researchers affiliated with Harvard analyzed a nationwide data set of more than 35 million emergency room visits in 2019, the most recent year such information was available. They looked specifically at visits where doctors billed with codes related to care after sexual assault, and found more than 112,000 such patients. Nearly 90 percent of those patients were female, and 38 percent were children under 18.

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2022/9/14/23350880/hospitals-bills-rape-victims-vawa-roe-abortion