At least one South Carolina sheriff is pushing back against a state law mandating that sheriffs get involved in cases of women who are pregnant as a result of rape/incest who seek abortions:
Charleston County Sheriff Kristin Graziano commented Friday on her office’s role in the recently passed law that essentially bans abortion after six weeks.
The state legislature now asks abortion providers to send sheriff’s offices reports of women who were impregnated by rape or incest and are trying to terminate the pregnancy.
“I want the public to know that while these providers are now mandated by law to send us these reports regardless of the will of their patients, we will not contact the patient if she doesn’t want us to,” Graziano said. “We will offer our support and investigative services only if they request it.”
“I know all too well the pain and heartache that comes from sexual assault, as a family member to a victim and as someone who has worked with them as a law enforcement officer,” she continued. “It is traumatizing, and my agency will do everything we can to offer care, solace and respect to these women who are seeking health care.”
Graziano is the first female and the first openly lesbian sheriff elected in South Carolina.
