Discussion List for campus-based and allied personnel working to end gender-based violence on campus.

["susan marine" <>]

Hello,

I'm sorry to hear there are places where victims are required to pay, or
cooperate with Police, in order to have the physical evidence kit paid for.
I guess we are more fortunate than I realize in Massachusetts. The
department of public health and the Police have long covered the cost of
these exams, with or without willingness to utilize the Police to report the
crime. Sometimes charges are levied to survivors for the additional services
at the hospital (the ER fee, certain meds) But I have had excellent luck
getting those waived for students that I have worked with....sometimes
survivors have been willing to use insurance to cover these costs when they
have it, and sometimes not, but I have never had to jump through law
enforcement hoops.

On an unrelated note, I feel it's important to question the use of the term
'sodomy' to describe anal rape. Sodomy is a term that has long been used to
inaccurately describe the act of anal sex, whether or not it is consensual,
and many states have used the term 'sodomy' to criminalize consensual sex
between men. I think the more accurate term in the context we are all
working in is anal rape or "forced anal intercourse" (the same thing,
really).

Best,

Susan Marine
Director, Harvard OSAPR