Florida Woman Arrested After Reporting Rape
Over the weekend a 21-year-old Florida woman called the police to report she had been raped while leaving a local parade, but during the investigation officers discovered the woman had an outstanding warrant for failure to pay restitution on a juvenile crime and arrested her. Even though she was given emergency contraception by a rape crisis center just before her arrest, she claims she was denied the second dose by a medical worker at the jail because of the worker’s religious beliefs. After the woman’s lawyer alerted the media, she was released from jail on Monday and given the second dose of emergency contraception a day late.
Tuesday the Tampa Police Department changed its policy concerning victims of sexual assault with past records. Under the new policy, shift commanders will have the authority to delay arrests for victims reporting a violent crime.