Wisconsin women shouldn’t have to wait for sexual assault treatment

The headline alone was startling. “Why Wisconsin makes sex-assault victims wait” read the story in USA Today. The answer is shocking, and unacceptable. It turns out that it is anything but easy for victims of sexual assault to come forward. Because nearly half of Wisconsin counties do not have nurses available to perform sexual assault exams, according to The Wisconsin Coaltion Against Sexual Assault. The rules require evidence be collected by specially trained nurses, and many hospitals choose to not even provide the service for assault victims. The state is hardly stepping up to ensure that these victims are properly treated, that evidence is properly collected, that support be offered. In fact, the state relies on the charity of hospitals to provide these exams, something they lose money doing. Little wonder that fewer hospitals are choosing to even provide the exams. Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel is right, that collecting evidence in a possible rape case should be a function of the state’s criminal justice system. The system needs to change, so that victims don’t have to wait, or drive long distances, or have trouble finding a properly trained nurse. We shouldn’t be reliant on charity to investigate and treat cases of sexual assault.