By cynthia hodnett
chodnett@greenbaypressgazette.Com
a bill scheduled to be debated today by
the state assembly that would ban the
university of wisconsin system from
advertising and prescribing emergency
contraceptives or “morning-after
pills” is drawing mixed reaction.
Introduced in march by rep. Daniel
lemahieu, r-oostburg, the bill prevents
health-care providers at student health
centers and campuses from advertising,
prescribing or dispensing emergency
contraception.
Lemahieu said he was outraged at ads taken
out in a campus newspaper by the
university health services, the clinic for
students at uw-madison. The ads,
published around spring break, informed
students where to call for a prescription
for the morning-after pill.
“the morning-after pill is a strong
hormonal pill and describing it as
casually as they were doing in the ads, I
didn’t think it was in the best interest
of the students,” he said. “as
taxpayers, we should be worried about the
universities’ liability. This isn’t
aspirin they are giving out. This is a
high hormonal pill that they are giving
out that has side effects.”
peggy hamill, state director for pro-life
wisconsin, said the uw system shouldn’t
be involved with family planning.
“universities are charged with
educating, not facilitating the
promiscuity and the notion of sexual
behavior as a recreational sport,”
hamill said.
The assembly family law committee hosted a
hearing on the bill in may. To become
law, the bill would have to clear both the
assembly and state senate and be signed by
gov. Jim doyle.
“students as a whole should be opposed
to this automatically,” said 22-year-old
rachel abhold, a may graduate of uw-green
bay. Abhold was a member of the student
senate that approved a resolution opposing
the bill in april.
“i think he (lemahieu) is missing the
reality of what goes on college
campuses,” abhold said. “often times
students who do come in (uwgb) health
services for the morning-after pill come
in because they were assaulted. By not
making that available, they are making it
more difficult for students to come
forward when they are assaulted and making
it more difficult for them to receive the
support they need.”
if taken within 72 hours of intercourse,
emergency contraception reduces the
chances of conception by preventing
ovulation or fertilization.
According to the planned parenthood
federation of america, the use of
emergency contraceptives could prevent 1.7
million unintended pregnancies and 800,000
abortions each year.
Uwgb offers the contraceptives, but they
aren’t administered very often, said
karen swan, director of the university’s
health services. All services and
products provided at health services
centers on uw campuses are paid for with
student segregated fees, but the buildings
are paid for with taxpayer dollars, said
rep. Carol owens, r-oshkosh who is also
chairwoman of the committee.
Planned parenthood of wisconsin and
several other agencies throughout the
state also provide the contraceptives.
Tanya atkinson, field manager, public
affairs for planned parenthood of
wisconsin, said the bill discriminates
against women, is a misguided attempt to
take away emergency contraceptives from
college women and will only lead to more
unintended pregnancies and abortions.
“i think this bill, if it’s passed, is
going to be a barrier,” atkinson said.
“where they will go, that’s the
problem. There are some campuses that may
not have a reproductive health care
center. It also restricts access for
young women who may be raped on campus and
that is the only alternative they have.
The other opportunity that is presented
when a young woman who is raped goes to
the university health center is that there
are professionals there who are available
to assist her in this time of crisis.”
lemahieu said making the emergency
contraceptives available on campuses gives
students a false sense of security.
“the students should go to their
doctors,” he said. “in case of rape,
they should go to the emergency room and
to the authorities. Are they being
treated for sexually transmitted diseases?
Are they bringing the person who has
caused the rape to justice? What we
should be promoting on our campuses is the
seriousness of rape, not the morning-after
pill.
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