CHARGING RAPE VICTIMS

CUMBERLAND COUNTY, N.C. — A North Carolina hospital has apologized after it admitted to illegally charging rape victims to test their rape kits.

The nonprofit Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County knows of at least 17 victims who were billed by Cape Fear Valley Medical Center. Some of them were charged as much as $1,300.

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State law explicitly states “bills should not be sent to victims.” The legislation explains a program has been set up and state funds will pay for these tests.

“It’s a financial burden, right? You’re being billed for evidence,” Rape Crisis of Cumberland County Executive Director Deanne Gerdes said. “A rape kit is evidence and you’re now being billed for being a victim of sexual assault.”

She said this error can put the victims in real danger.

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“You don’t know who had access to their home, who knows that they’ve been raped and who doesn’t know who that they’ve been raped,” Gerdes said. “The perpetrator could be a husband so that in itself is putting victims in danger.”

She said some of the bills went to collectors and ended up on the victims’ credit reports.

The medical center said it was a billing error and blames charges on their electronic registration. In a statement, the center said “Patients who may have received them, or might receive them in the future, should bring them to our attention so that the charges can be reversed.”

This comes as the state is dealing with a backlog of thousands of rape kits.

The state passed the Survivor Act last year. It set aside more money for testing and requires investigators to send kits for testing within 45 days of collection.

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