Barbara L’Italien posted a link to this LTE:
To the editor,
As a young woman in college, I have seen first-hand how much emphasis is placed on students being safe. One of the most important topics has indisputably been on responsible sexual behavior, and how to protect yourself from sexual violence. Should anyone on campus be the victim of a sex crime – including rape or attempted rape – students are encouraged not to suffer silently, but to instead seek out help. This is because rape is not just a physical attack – it is an attack on one’s mind and spirit.
Why am I writing a letter about rape? Because I am incredibly disgusted by legislation written by State Representative Jim Lyons. The bill I’m talking about, House Bill 3353, would repeal section 47B of Chapter 175 of our state law – the law requiring insurers to cover rape victims’ mental and social disorders.
Mental illness is no different than a physical illness. And the scars left from rape on one’s mind and spirit are as real as the scars left on one’s body. We as a society should be creating a strong support structure for these victims, and we certainly shouldn’t be weakening what already exists as support.
Supporting rape victims is one issue that Democrats and Republicans can agree upon. If denying services to rape victims is on Jim Lyons list of priorities, then I think Democrats and Republicans can also agree that it is time for Jim Lyons to go.
Grace McDaniel
We’ve talked about Jim Lyons extreme anti-choice postition before.
His bill would actually strike requirements for all coverage of mental health issues.
is wrong with these people?
his views about government and it’s role in our lives are outrageous.
From what I can tell the GOP position now boils down to if the rape if “legit” you won’t get pregnant, but if not and you do get pregnant, that’s a gift from God. Isn’t this the same party that claims we need to fear creeping Sharia law (which I’ve looked up and actually does not fault women for being raped, but I think it does exactly that in the popular imagination)?
that Paul Ryan’s “Sanctity of Life Act” and the 2012 GOP platform essentially say that, if you want a child you can’t have one through in-vitro fertilization but if you are raped and become pregnant, you must bear that child. He said it’s not surprising they left the “IVF: Can’t, Rape: Must” off the cover.