New Advertisement Calls Attention to Congresswoman Buerkle’s Record on Redefining Rape

Women who were drugged or even minors who were victims of statutory rape would not be classified as victims under law cosponsored by Buerkle

September 29, 2012 - Democratic Congressional candidate Dan Maffei’s campaign released its most recent advertisement today backed by a significant broadcast and cable television buy.  The advertisement informs voters that Congresswoman Ann Marie Buerkle co-sponsored a bill with Congressman Todd Akin that would redefine the term rape to mean only “forcible rape”.

Women who were were drugged or even minors who were victims of statutory rape would not be classified as rape victims, and would lose access to federal funds to terminate pregnancies that were a result of rape.  This is a significant change from existing federal law that allows the use of federal funds to terminate any pregnancy that is the result of rape.

“This is a very important issue, and what this law attempted to do was very dangerous.” said Democratic Congressional candidate Dan Maffei. “In its original form, this law would mean some of the most vulnerable victims would no longer be classified rape victims.  This law just went too far.”

Nancy Green said, “As a rape victim, I can’t imagine being in a position where what happened to me could ever be considered any less traumatic or worthy of protection than what happened to any other victim.  I don’t think any woman who is a victim should ever have to deal with being forced to prove that the violation that happened to her fits in a certain profile.  Being put through that would be a second violation.”

A therapist specializing in working with rape victims, Crystal Collete, LMSW, said, “Any type of redefinition of rape minimizes the real experience of violation and victimization.  Rape is rape, and when we start parsing rape, we begin to blame the victim.  That’s just wrong.”  

Background:

Congresswoman Buerkle cosponsored the original version of H.R. 3 on the day it was introduced to the House, January 20, 2011. [Library of Congress – 112th Congress H.R. 3]

The original version of the H.R. 3 which Congresswoman Buerkle cosponsored, attempted to redefine rape as “forcible rape”. [Library of Congress - 112th H.R. 3 - SEC. 309.]

On January 20, 2011 Congresswoman Buerkle gave a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives in support of H.R. 3. Click here to view the video:

Independent Legal Analysis:

According to the National Women’s Law Center H.R. 3, even in its current form the bill excludes the most vulnerable victims from the care they need. [National Women’s Law Center - 2011]

Media Coverage:

• “What is ‘forcible rape’ exactly?”,  Jonathan Capehart, Washington Post, Opinion Blog, 2/1/2011.

• “John Boehner’s Push to redefine rape”,  Sady Doyle, Salon.com,  2/1/2011.

• “GOP Abortion Bill Redefines Rape”, Michelle Goldberg, Daily Beast, 1/30/2012.

• “GOP loses ‘forcible rape’ language”, Jonathan Allen, Politico, 2/3/11.

• “Under Banner of Fiscal Restraint, Republicans Plan New Abortion Bills,” Jennifer Steinhauer, New York Times, 2/8/2011.

• “Legislative proposal puts abortion rights supporters on alert”, Sandhya Somashekhar, Washington Post, 2/1/2011.

• “How Todd Akin and Paul Ryan Partnered to Redefine Rape”, Ian Millhiser, Think Progress, 8/19/2012.

• “H.R. 3, Wide-Sweeping Anti-Abortion Bill, Facing House Vote”, Laura Bassett, Huffington Post, 5/04/2011.

• “Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle: Akin’s rape comments are offensive”, Mark Weiner, The Post-Standard, 8/23/2012.

Timeline:

January 20, 2011: Congresswoman Buerkle Cosponsors the original version of H.R. 3, which attempted to redefine rape as forcible rape. [Library of Congress – 112th Congress H.R. 3], [Library of Congress - 112th H.R. 3 - SEC. 309.]

January 20, 2011: Congresswoman Buerkle gives a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives in support of H.R. 3 which attempted to redefine rape. [Youtube, 1/20/2011]

May 5, 2011: Congresswoman Buerkle’s office fails to return a reporter’s phone calls for comment about the bill which attempted to redefine rape. [Huffington Post, 5/04/2011]

August 20, 2012: The Maffei campaign calls on Congresswoman Buerkle to repudiate Todd Akin’s Appalling Remarks evoked by H.R. 3, a bill she cosponsored which attempted to redefine rape. [Press Releases, MaffeiforCongress.com, 8/20/2012]

August 23, 2012: The Maffei campaign alerts the media after Congresswoman Buerkle’s campaign manager touted her record, which includes her cosponsorship of H.R. 3. [Wall Street Journal, 8/22/2012]

August 23, 2012: Dan Maffei calls on Congresswoman Buerkle to explain her attempts to redefine rape in a press release. [Press Releases, MaffeiforCongress.com, 8/23/2012]  

August 23, 2012: Congresswoman Buerkle speaks on the record about Todd Akin’s remarks but fails to address the ‘forcible rape’ provision of H.R. 3 and its attempts to redefine rape. [The Post-Standard, 8/23/2012]

September 21, 2012: The Maffei campaign issued a press release detailing Congresswoman Buerkle’s cosponsorship of H.R. 3 which attempted to redefine rape. [Press Releases MaffeiforCongress.com, 9/21/2012]

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