Iowa halts provision of emergency contraception and abortion assistance for sexual assault victims.

The Iowa attorney general's office has paused its practice of paying for emergency contraception and abortions for victims of sexual assault, drawing criticism from victim advocates. The payments were previously covered by Iowa's victim compensation fund, but the Republican attorney general has put them on hold as part of a review of victim services. The move has caught victim advocates off guard, with one calling it "deplorable and reprehensible". The fund is required by law to pay for medical exams and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, but makes no mention of contraception or pregnancy risk.