BOISE, Idaho – An Idaho law banning minors from receiving healthcare without parent approval has created a thorny new legal problem. If a child is raped by their parent, Idaho
Idaho State Police’s sexual assault nurse coordinator told Idaho Reports that the new law prevents law enforcement from administering rape kits to minors without parental permission.
Children were already not allowed to receive medical care without parental permission in the majority of cases before the passage of SB 1329 according to the American Medical Association, but exceptions for emergency and sexual healthcare are in place in several states including Washington.
Fucking sickening. As if parents are never the abusers. Someone ought to find the names and faces of everyone who pushed this bill forward and plaster them on billboards all across Idaho with the tagline "Defenders of Incest".
From the text of the bill:
(4) Subsection (3) of this section shall not apply, and a health care provider may authorize or furnish a health care service without obtaining the informed consent of the minor child's parent, if:
(a) A parent of the minor child has given blanket consent authorizing the health care provider to furnish the health care service; or
(b) The health care provider reasonably determines that a medical emergency exists and:
(i) Furnishing the health care service is necessary in order to prevent death or imminent, irreparable physical injury to the minor child; or
(ii) After a reasonably diligent effort, the health care provider cannot locate or contact a parent of the minor child and the minor child's life or health would be seriously endangered by further delay in the furnishing of health care services.
I fail to see how a sexually-assaulted child doesn't qualify as a medical emergency, or how providing care wouldn't be considered "preventing imminent, irreparable physical injury". What the fuck is wrong with you, Idaho? Who do you think you are? Texas?
I don't know what's in a rape kit but I'm guessing that there might be something that could (with luck) prevent conception in a female child who's raped. Idaho Christofascist Republicans WANT rape victims who get pregnant as a result of the rape to be forced to carry the fetus to term. That's how they exercise power and control over women, and that's one of the main things that they get off on in life. This news post is absolutely repulsive but nothing surprises me about that Christofascist hellscape called Idaho anymore.
This is more about denying the state evidence of who assaulted the child. As one might do if the attacker were a family member that the parents wanted to protect, such as a brother or the father himself.
I don't understand: how would prohibiting LE from "administering" a rape kit to a raped minor "deny the state evidence" of who did the raping. Wouldn't LE still know who the rapist was, independently of whatever medical care the victim received?
It also helps identify the assailant. And since Christians largely think that they can fuck kids in the name of god, clearly ”evidence” is something they would like to prevent.