Relief for rape victims: "Pill afterwards" is free of charge

There are many questions that a woman should not ask herself that has just been sexized violence. For example: "Should I have behaved differently?" Or: "Will you believe me?" And yet these are justified questions in a society that runs Victim Blaming and protects perpetrators. A question that no longer has to face a woman after rape from now on is: "Do I have to risk pregnancy now?"

Because the Bundestag has decided that for women who have been raped, health insurance should cover the costs for the "pill afterwards". Gudrun Stifter is the name of the woman to whom we owe this new law. She herself became a victim of rape and found that it had to do it not only a mental and physical, but also financial damage. She had to pay all studies on sexually transmitted diseases and the costs for emergency prevention out of her own pocket - a total of 500 euros.

The "pill afterwards" is a hormone tablet that prevents pregnancy. The remedy is available without a prescription in the pharmacy and costs between 16 and 35 euros. However, before the law amendment, the health insurance company only reimbursed insured persons up to the age of 22. Women and social associations have been calling for this age limit for years. Stifter is a recipient of the citizens and lives in precarious conditions. But even for women with more money, these 500 euros are a slap in the face. The 31-year-old wrote in the petition that she brought in at the Bavarian state parliament in 2021: "These are massive grievances, and I want it to be known and that something changes."

The "pill afterwards" is only the first step. Now her wish has come true. The former traffic light parties SPD, Greens and FDP have decided on a change in the law in the Bundestag and finally lifted the age limit for free emergency prevention. Green MP Saskia Weishaupt was pleased in her speech about the success, but also made it clear that this could only be a first step: “The care after sexual crimes has to be better. A cost -covering flat rate is needed so that those affected can also be fully cared for in the hospital. ”She also spoke out for contracts for confidential evidence in the countries.

Gudrun Stifter also traveled to Berlin for the vote. She is pleased that her struggle for justice was actually successful: "I am glad that my commitment was worth it and that victims of a crime no longer have to pay the" pill afterwards ", Stifter told SPIEGEL. "I would not have thought such a success almost four years ago."