Sent to collections for a rape kit??

believe09 said:

Women are being revictimized in TX because of ER visits associated with sexual assault-the Crime Victims Compensation fund is flush with cash, while women are receiving calls from bill collectors for expenses incurred as a result of being RAPED...some of the cases include ones with CONVICTED perps.

http://www.click2houston.com/news/19400415/detail.html

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believe09 said:

What I found infinitely irritating about the story other than the obvious was the talking head's "not my fault, it's the law, blame the legislature" response. Not a simple, "Huh, your right-we will check it out and take care of it immediately. Please have anyone experiencing this re-submit the bills right away."

I-D-I-O-T.

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capoly said:

There are some things I'm not understanding.

If the kit is necessary for evidence in a rape trial, why is the victim's name released to a collection agency?

And if the kit/processing is required in order to obtain evidence in a criminal case, why is the cost of it placed on the victim? Do they charge for materials/processing required to obtain evidence in all cases?

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CyberLaw said:

So let me get this straight.......(god forbid)....I am in Texas, I am raped and beaten, kidnapped, held at gunpoint, but manage to escape alive but very much in a trauma state.

Then when I am rescued or escape, LE takes me to ER, where I am a victim of a crime. Then of course a rape kit is done, then ME, I amd going to be charged for the rape kit and processing. When it will bu used in court to convict the person who harmed me. Then thank goodness the person is sent away for many years. Ring, Ring, Hello this is XYZ collection agency, we are looking for payment for a bill for a "procedure" that was done on a specific date.

Oh, you mean the rape kit.....you see I am a victim of a crime, I am a rape victim and it "feels" that by phoning me, not only are you putting me into a trauma state again, but now you want me to pay.

Oh I forgot, George Bush's state, now I understand. The States need Universal Health care and then things like this will not happen.

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Jholi said:

:couch:

FWIW, Texas isn't any different from most states, and since the rape kit fees were an issue during the election, I remember that it fizzled when it was discovered that the bill Obama himself proposed as a legislator in Illinois only gave assistance to pay for them to women who had medicaid or were in need - I think just like Texas does.

What went wrong in this story isn't Texas law to my understanding, but that the people who run the special fund, set aside to pay for these things as it should be, dropped the ball.

And just to defend my beloved state, Texas' numbers always reflect a struggle with things like education and health care in large part due to the huge extra burden of illegal immigrants. :sheesh:

:couch:

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believe09 said:

:blowkiss:, no offense to you Jholi!!

I loved TX-my frustration with the state started with the grandfathered refineries still pumping into the atmosphere but causing the most extraordinary sunsets, as well as elevated levels of asthma and skin rashes among other things...while I get that there are issues with immigration, TX relies quite a bit on non resident workers to build homes, take entry level jobs and generally provide worker infra-structure to the state. You cannot rely heavily on the NRA population to take the jobs residents are unwilling to take and then complain when they have needs such as education and healthcare...jmo...

But we digress-the issue is not with TX alone-I would urge other Wsers to check into their state laws concerning the same issue...should crime victims be responsible for bills incurred as a result of being a victim??

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