Hospitals routinely skirt one of the nation’s strongest laws protecting victims of sexual assault.



 


Survivors sidelined: How Illinois' sexual assault survivor law allows hospitals to deny care


Illinois is supposed to have one of the strongest laws protecting sexual assault victims in the nation. But in the 17 years since lawmakers introduced a critical exception to the law, the number of hospitals opting out of care for sexual assault survivors has more than tripled.

Our investigation reveals that hospitals are failing to care for sexual assault survivors according to the state law, which can have devastating consequences.

A review of publicly available inspection reports from 2018 through 2023 found:
  • Four hospitals failed or refused to offer sexual assault kits.
  • Nine hospitals failed to contact a rape crisis center advocate.
  • Three hospitals delayed treatment.
  • Nine hospitals failed to take photographs of injuries.
  • Four hospitals failed to notify child or adult protective services.
  • Eight hospitals failed to provide follow-up care instructions.
  • Six hospitals billed victims for the cost of their exam, which has been illegal in the state for 48 years.
APM Reports found no evidence that any hospital has been fined since the law’s creation.

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