Immigration News: Women Take Contraceptive Pill In Case of Rape When Crossing To U.S.

Crossing the border into the United States can be one of the most dangerous trips for those wishing to enter the country illegally. And a new report from La Prensa suggests that it is women who are most at risk. The report indicates that the fear of rape is incredibly real - so much so that many women turn to taking contraceptive pills just in case they are sexually assaulted along their long and arduous journey into the United States and thus ward off any unwanted pregnancies. The information is shocking.

"We know of several cases of women who take these measures when they are on the border, because in Mexico they don't need a prescription to buy the contraceptive pills," says Efe Anna Ochoa O'Leary, professor in the Department of Mexican-American studies and member of the Binational Institute of Immigration at the University of Arizona. Ochoa O'Leary, who has done numerous studies on the matter, suggests that a number of women decide to take the pills when they decide to emigrate to the U.S. knowing the risks.

Women looking to cross the border have become increasingly aware of the personal risks they face. "Another method they use is to have an injection,which has a longer lasting effect," explained the professor. She calls it a "sad and unfortunate" reality, which occurs far too often along the border. "It's hard to have an exact number: many times women immigrants refuse to taalk about such issues, especially when they are the victims of sexual assault," says Ochoa O'Leary, who just published a book called Undocumented Immigrants in the United States Today: An Encyclopedia of their Experiences.