Life Begins at Rape... Ask Mayor Sarah Palin

The article below is supposedly responsible for a fabulous new movement online: Donating to Planned Parenthood in Sarah Palin's name. I read about it via a friend on Facebook and from my girl FreidaBee. To me, this idea is brilliant, hilarious and sick on every level, so, of course I love the idea. Hello, do you know me?!


Anywho, the scandalicious article I found below was written by a dame who was so outraged by Palin when she was Mayor of Wasilla for not only charging women for rape kits, but also making it illegal to purchase the Grindhouse rape doll.

As if that's a value-add for women who have been raped. What's next from Cunterella Palin, paying filing fees for restraining orders against stalkers? Peeping Toms? Or paying an additional fee for protection if a restraining order has been violated? How else would this misogynistic cunt like to abuse women?

Life Begins at Rape... Ask Mayor Sarah Palin
By Shannyn Moore

Can you imagine having to pay for the CSI (crime scene investigation-fingerprinting, photography, etc) if your home was robbed? What if a bill came for the breathalyzer tests if you'd been hit by a drunk driver? When Sarah Palin was mayor, the city of Wasilla had the most egregious policy against victims of rape in the state of Alaska, possibly the entire country. The rape kit, a set of items used by medical personnel for gathering and preserving physical evidence following a sexual assault, was charged to the victim. (note: step 6)

I sat with a rape victim during the “harvesting of evidence”. Mascara smeared eyes stared blankly out from a cave of shame. “We’ve got swimmers,” announced the forensic tech in the lab next door. My friend didn’t look surprised. In her 60’s, she was still asked if she felt the need for emergency contraception. Surviving the process would have only been compounded and made worse with an itemized bill; victimized twice courtesy of Sarah Palin and the city of Wasilla.

Much can be learned about the Palin Administration’s family values from reviewing their spending priorities. Former Chief of Police Irl Stambaugh included forensic rape kits (up to $1,200 per kit) in his budget requests. He was fired by Palin in 1997. In her termination letter, Palin wrote, “…I do not feel I have your full support in my efforts to govern the city of Wasilla. Therefore I intend to terminate your employment. . . ” Staumbaugh headed the police department since it was created in 1993. Before that, he served 22 years with the Anchorage Police Department rising to the rank of captain. Sarah Palin hired Charlie Fannon as the new Wasilla Chief of Police and said it was one of her best decisions as mayor. Fannon eliminated the forensic rape kits from the budget. Though the number of rapes weren’t reported, Fannon claimed it would save Wasilla taxpayers $5,000 to $14,000 a year.

When Eric Croft, a Democrat Legislator from Anchorage, learned of Wasilla’s policy, he drafted HB 270, which Governor Tony Knowles signed into law. The new law made it illegal for any law enforcement agency to bill victims or victims’ insurance companies for the costs of examinations to collect evidence of a sexual assault or determine if a sexual assault actually occurred. Upon signing the law, Governor Knowles said, “We would never bill the victim of a burglary for the cost of gathering evidence, nor should we bill rape victims just because the crime scene happens to be their bodies.”

Wasilla Police Chief Fannon protested the new law stating it would require the city and communities to come up with more funds to cover the costs of the forensic exams. Really? Are the true costs of sexual assault and forcible rape in a community only measured and reflected in the dollars spent on the forensic rape kit?

Alaska has the nation’s highest per-capita rate of forcible rape. A disproportionate number of rape and sexual assault victims are Native Alaskan women. Alaska Native people in Anchorage were 9.7 times more likely to be sexually assaulted than others living in the city between 2000 and 2003. Alaska crime statistics never seemed to make a “Northern Exposure” episode. But this isn’t about statistics-real lives were affected by Palin’s regressive policies. One thing Alaska can’t seem to export is the fundamental information around a woman’s rights.

Alaska “liberalized” abortion laws before Roe v. Wade. Our dirty secret had to do with a woman’s right to be safe from rapists. This right to choose was not only threatened, but abolished with Sarah Palin’s archaic policy as Mayor of Wasilla. The rape kit included emergency contraception. To be sure, emergency contraception is not, nor does it cause an abortion. In fact, ec prevents pregnancy and therefore reduces abortions.

Under Palin’s Administration, “Life Begins at Rape” for women unable to pay for their forensic evidence gathering. Justice is served to women who can afford it and denied for those who can’t. I live in Alaska-the wealthiest of the 50 states! Forcing rape victims to pay for their own forensic rape kits is something one would expect to find in a fundamentalist country overseas. I have outrage fatigue. I can’t decide which facet of this policy is more upsetting. Is it the denial of justice for the poor? Is it the punishment of women who had been raped? Is it the political policies of a woman so entrenched in the “Pro-Life” movement she would deny justice to a victim? This is not a “Pro-Life” policy. This is a “Pro-Rapist” policy, and forced pregnancy policy.
It should be noted
Joe Biden introduced legislation to fund rape kits to women in America. John McCain voted against it.

When Sarah Palin was elected Alaska’s first female governor, I hoped these issues would be addressed as part of her “historic” platform. When Amnesty International published their study on rape statistics and Alaskan women, the response was pathetic. The now dismissed Commissioner of Public Safety, Walt Monegan, acknowledged the lack of law enforcement in Alaska as part of the problem. Since that time, Walt Monegan has been fired and $2.5 million dollars threatened from the budget for State Troopers. John Cyr is executive director of the Public Safety Employees Association, and has been very critical of the Palin administration’s commitment to keep Alaskan’s safer.

Under the Palin Administration, a law was passed that specifically deals with rapists. I am not making this up. It is now illegal for Alaskans to buy or sell the “Rapist No. 1” doll. Oh, you haven’t heard of it? It’s an “action figure” from Quentin Tarantino’s film “Grindhouse.” Yes, really. So now if you’re raped, you can take comfort in knowing Alaska outlawed an action figure.

For all the Alaskans who have taken the charge to protect fellow citizens from predators, this was A GIANT WASTE OF TIME. It’s embarrassing to write this. Who in the hell has been prosecuted for this “outrageous” purchase. Did she think people in Alaska with the propensity to rape women were suddenly dissuaded because they couldn’t buy a movie action figure?


If Alaska’s sexual assault statistics were true for the rest of the country, rape would be considered an epidemic and the National Guard would be called up. As Mayor and Governor, Sarah Palin has made justice illusive to criminals and forensics a commodity that victims must purchase. Meanwhile, rape prevention sits on the backburner. Being a rape victim isn’t necessary for outrage. You don’t need ovaries to protect the physical sanctity of fellow citizens. Life does not begin at rape, it just gets harder.

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Shannyn Moore. Born Alaskan. Patriot. Constitutionalist. Lover of Freedom. Giving hell to the establishment. Standing up to fascists and tyranny...both foreign and domestic.

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FYI, today is the last day to vote on Frannylicious' essay, so click on over and vote. Tomorrow morning, I will be posting Mister Mxyzptlk disturbingly funny essay. Don't forget ya'll, it's the first October essay to be posted.

The winner of the McCunt essay contest for September will be announced on October 1. I have two spaces left in Octy, so anyone who wants to submit, e-stalk me. Loving....

Comments

Unknown said…
Holy shit, I had not read that before, and the details are so goddamn important. I didn't realize that rape kits were so expensive so of course if you're poor or uninsured maybe you just don't get one!

THIS is an OUTRAGE!! You've got me pumping my fist at Ms. Moosemeat!

Holy crap PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE get this information to Joe Biden toute-de-suite.

I meant that rhetorically, I don't imagine that you have a personal acquaintance :)

Talk about a great post. Nice work, darlin.
Unknown said…
Oh and that pic just about killed me...
Katie Schwartz said…
I know! When I found this, I thought I had heard it all. Please, please, please cross-post and give it that HelenWheels jhush.

We gotta get this out there, yo.

Palinoscopy has nerve she hasn't used yet.
Katie Schwartz said…
Don't you love that pic? I found it online... I thought it was so poifect for this yarn.

Someone left a comment on my blog with a picture of Palin's face photoshopped into a vagina and I can't find it. Argh.
Katie Schwartz said…
Are you fucking serious, HW?!?!?! Did you blog that? I just got home and haven't hit "Ain't Just Right" yet. I will!

Oy is right. Bitch's 15 minutes peeled about 30 seconds into the KC interview.
Unknown said…
"Though the number of rapes weren’t reported, Fannon claimed it would save Wasilla taxpayers $5,000 to $14,000 a year."

I am so tired of this crap. The only solace I take is that the democratic voter registration numbers far exceed the new repub numbers. The repub team couldn't possibly be any worse unless they were running two cadavers (one is close), but we're STILL facing a tough race.

I love that Obama doesn't want to fight the old way, but I WANT HIM TO DO IT NOW. This is too dangerous a time to not throw every single one of McCain's lies, misremarks, lies, hypocrisies, lies, lies, lies in the public's face. He should employee John Stewart and Cobert to write his speeches for him. He should muzzle Bidden and Clinton on saying things like "he should have picked Hillary" and "I respect John McCain".

He needs to save this country and not leave a doubt at how fucked up the McCain/Palin ticket is.

Now Palin is pushing her 17 year old pregnant daughter to wed before the election? HOW FUCKED UP IS THAT?

JDC
KELSO'S NUTS said…
I finally get it. This awful creature Palin is the perfect embodiment in what Hannah Arendt called the "banality of evil." It's gotten to the point that I will really miss her presence on the national stage because you don't get to see PERFECTION that often. She's absolutely the Einstein, the Rembrandt, the Tiger Woods, the Bobby Fischer, the James Joyce of American Trayf in politics. It is a remarkable thing to behold.

I don't think that either Marie Antoinette or Eva Braun were in her class. It's possible they were. I wouldn't want to have bet my son's toys on it but just guessing, I'd say she has Marie Antoinette and Eva Braun beaten. As VP or President, she could easily cause as much damage or more even.
Katie Schwartz said…
JDC, YOU ARE SO ON THE MONEY, KID. I agree, Obama has run a great campaign, but now it's time to hit back hard. Those fuckers are so scared and the race is still too close for him not to fight as dirty as they fight with us.

Beautifully said- We're same paging hard.
Katie Schwartz said…
KELSO, I LOVE YOU because you are a lil' nuts :)

Beautifully said.
Anonymous said…
I'm tellin' ya, she's the quintessential republican woman. She gains admission into the old boy's club by supporting anti-female policies.

I suspect she hates women.
Joe said…
Thank you for posting this. This, to me, is one of Palin's greatest outrages. I cannot imagine being an ER nurse, victim advocate or cop and having to tell a victim, oh, by the way, if you want a forensic rape kit done it'll cost you. My heart sinks at the thought of it.

By the way, that campaign to raise money in Palin's name for Planned Parenthood has gone pretty well. So far it's raised over $760,000! Here's a link to the article where I read that:
http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/6922
Unknown said…
I don't know if she hates women or just hates everyone. Honestly, the woman is a huge narcissist. I don't think they are truly capable of empathy.

OT but I did post on the rumored white-trash shotgun wedding. Go see!
Unknown said…
I believe this is a fundamental element of her religious belief system. I'm working on a post about this myself and the research into her pastor and their antics are nauseating.

JDC
Fran said…
This is an outrage, pure and simple.

Institutionalized evil in the name of Sarah Palin.
earlbo said…
I consider caribou barbie the poster child for "parental rights for rapists."
DivaJood said…
Katie, this is an amazing post. And I will link it. Not today, but this week. Today I am still staggering from the bailout.
Unknown said…
"caribou barbie"

I like that very much.


JDC

Democracy Hypocrisy
www.democracyhypocrisy.com
Anonymous said…
Thanks for sharing this. Great article and an interesting perspective on Palin. Makes me wonder if she's auditioning for a part in "Mean Girls 2: The Grown Up Years."
I hadn't read this article until now and my blood is still boiling. I am going to personally go to the planned parenthood that is in our county and give them money to help combat this evil who dares to call herself a woman.
Madam Z said…
I am certainly no fan of Palin's, but I felt that I should do a little "fact-checking" before believing this horrible story. It looks like a "guilty as charged," verdict, all right. But even more horrifying is that I found that Wasilla AK is not the the only place that tried to charge rape victims for their test kits. Check out this article about legislation in Missouri to correct a similar outrage. http://www.joplinindependent.com/display_article.php/admin21179504908

I was raped when I was 16, and thought it was terrible that the policeman who questioned me afterward treated me like I had "asked for it." But at least I didn't have to pay for the medical exam which confirmed that I had been assaulted.

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