Connecticut Lawmaker Tells Personal Story of Rape in Support of EC Access

On Tuesday, Connecticut State Representative Deborah Heinrich told a crowd gathered for a press conference of being raped while in college. Heinrich, in support of a bill that would require all state hospitals to provide emergency contraception, reportedly stated, "Every woman in the state must be assured that when she finds that last ounce of strength, that last bit of trust that will allow her to enter the doors of the hospital, that no matter which hospital she manages to stumble into, that she will be assured of having the highest standards of care. For a rape victim, that must include being offered emergency contraception." Heinrich indicated that only her immediate family had been aware of her rape prior to her announcement, and described the strength it took for her to seek help after her rape, stating that she would not have had the stamina to go elsewhere had a hospital told her to do so for EC.