But many survivors are left with a bill of $800 or more to cover the expenses of hospital time and personnel to do the examination.

The hospital stay can include evidence collection, evaluation, care of injuries and prevention for sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy said Valerie Sievers, a forensic specialist and the coordinator of the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners program in Colorado.

Nicole said she hopes a new bill sponsored by state Sen. Shirley Johnson, R-Royal Oak, to cover the cost of rape kits will encourage more sexual assault survivors to have a rape kit done.

“If the bill passes, I think more women will have the evidence collected,” she said. “It will help survivors know they don’t need to feel alone. It’s scary to go through and prosecute the person who raped you.”

Johnson proposed the bill this spring by amending the Michigan Department of Community Health Budget to provide funding for the Crime Victim Compensation Fund. The bill is in the appropriation committee under the Department of Community Health.

“Victims should not be held financially responsible for any evidence collection after an attack occurs,” Johnson said. “No other crimes require the victim pay for the collection of evidence, and we are working to ensure victims of this heinous crime receive the same.”

Johnson said some women choose to not have their insurance billed because it can be seen by employers, spouses or family members.

The Crime Victim Compensation Fund covers the cost of rape kits for those without insurance, but Johnson said there are loopholes in the act - not everyone gets compensated.

To qualify for the reimbursement, a police report must be filed within 48 hours and survivors must cooperate with law enforcement and court systems, said Mike Fullwood, director of the Michigan Crime Victim Services Commission.

Rape kits collect DNA, blood samples, semen, swabs of oral, vaginal and anal samples and hair from the head and pubic regions.

To receive compensation, the kit cost must be at least $200. The client is reimbursed later.

Johnson said if the bill passes these restrictions will be removed to provide money for all survivors. The proposed bill says the health-care provider will be compensated for services through the Crime Victim Compensation Fund. The bill also says a police report will not need to be filed.

“Sexual assault victims are a crime victim of a very personal crime and they’re asked to pay for the evidence collected from their body,” said Angelita Velasco, program service director of the Michigan Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. “They’re being revictimized.”

Velasco said now some survivors do not know they will be billed or how to access the compensation fund. Velasco said money can prevent survivors from having evidence collected.

Heather’s story

In 2000, Curtis Marco Williams was charged with two counts of rape after being linked to the rapes of nine women in Lansing, Heather said.

Heather, a Lansing resident, is a survivor of the serial rapist, who intruded her house in 1999. She said at the time she was still dealing with a sexual assault that happened in 1985 when she was 14.

In 1987, the first man who assaulted her was let out of prison on a legal technicality.

Heather said she felt let down by the judicial system.

In 2000, Heather said she credits Williams’ conviction to the evidence from her rape kit.

“One of the biggest assets is that we had DNA and fingerprints,” she said.

Her personal experiences with the legal system led to her position as the executive director of the Crime Victims Advocacy Council, which aims to support and provide services for victims of any crime. The council aims to help survivors with the judicial process.

“You can’t let a person be raped twice and do nothing about it,” Heather said.

Heather said being a victim is socially unacceptable, making it difficult to come forward.

She hopes the council will help more survivors like herself find justice.

“I have the empathy because I understand what these people are going through,” she said.

Heather said the proposed bill is sensitive to survivors’ needs.

Statistics

The 2000 National College Women Sexual Victimization study funded by the National Institute of Justice found 3 percent of college women are victims of rape or attempted rape every year.

The study reported that for every 1,000 women, there may be 35 incidents of rape. The study projected that on a campus with 10,000 women, the number of rapes could exceed 350 a year.

The study is based on a 1996 survey of 4,446 women attending two-year and four-year colleges and universities.

“Statistically the largest targeted population for rape are freshmen females,” said Steve Thompson, Sexual Assault Services coordinator at Central Michigan University.

Thompson said factors such as being away from home, alcohol consumption and student attitudes contribute to the statistics.

And Thompson said rape statistics are still too high. He said colleges need to curb statistics by creating counseling and awareness services.

“We’ve got a long way to go,” he said “Most colleges don’t have advocacy programs.”

State-by-state coverage

Carol Dorris, a public policy staff attorney with the National Center for Victims of Crime, said there isn’t a national statute for compensating rape survivors.

Dorris said some compensation programs provide the entire cost of the kits, but other states have limited coverage.

Johnson said there are 35 states that have some type of compensation program, but Michigan’s bill is modeled after Iowa’s Sexual Abuse Examination Payment Program.

Since 1979, the Iowa Sexual Abuse Examination Payment Program has paid for rape evidence kits and examinations, regardless of whether the crime is reported to law enforcement.

“Iowa saw a need and the state didn’t want victims to cover a cost for being a victim of rape,” said Julie Swanston, administrator of the Iowa Crime Victim Compensation Program.

Bills are submitted directly to the Sexual Abuse Examination Payment Program. The money comes from fines and penalties paid by convicted criminals.

In 2000, 1,722 rape kits were processed in Iowa. The average cost of the kits in the state was $268.37, Swanston said.

In Pennsylvania, the State Crime Compensation Fund covers the cost of the rape kit for victims without insurance and does not require the survivor to report the crime to the police or prosecute. The hospital is reimbursed by the fund, said Barbara Sheaffer, the medical advocacy coordinator for the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape.

Sheaffer said advocates for survivors’ rights in Pennsylvania hope to amend the funding to cover all survivors - even those with insurance. There is a push for a waiver form so victims can choose to not have their insurance billed, Sheaffer said.

Advocates for survivors’ rights at CMU started a private fund four years ago to cover the cost for rape kits. The money comes from fund-raisers. Students have utilized about $11,000 worth of the kits, said Steve Thompson, CMU’s Sexual Assault Services Coordinator.

Thompson said about six students a year access the fund.

“A great percentage of students didn’t go to the hospital because they don’t want their mom or dad to know,” he said. “Through this fund we’re making contacts and building awareness.”

Diane Windischman, coordinator for the counseling center and sexual assault education programs said she would love to see MSU adopt a fund like CMU’s.

Windischman said the Crime Victim Compensation Fund is useful but could be improved.

“It takes a long time to be reimbursed but when it comes through, it is very helpful,” she said.

Windischman said her staff has written letters in support of the bill.

Heather said she is tired of victims paying for rape.

“If it passes it’s just one more accomplishment to add to our fight to see justice and fairness for survivors,” Heather said.

Kristina Hughes can be reached at hughesk7@msu.edu.