After passing through both branches of the state government, the Compassionate Care for Rape Victims Bill is expected to be signed into law by Governor Jim Doyle.  This law will require emergency room personnel to give information about emergency contraception to all victims of sexual assault, and dispense it if desired.  Emergency contraception greatly reduces the risk of unintended pregnancy, thereby reducing the need for abortion.  It is legal, safe, and available for over the counter purchase for women over 18. However, in a survey from 2002, it was found that less than 1/3 of Wisconsin hospitals had this contraception stocked. 

     In 2002, a survey found that 300,000 women were raped each year, resulting in 25,000 unwanted pregnancies.  16,000 of these unintended pregnancies ended in abortion. With the effectiveness of emergency contraception, 22,000 (88%) of the pregnancies and the resulting abortions could be prevented if all sexual assault survivors used emergency contraception.