Federal law under the Violence Against Women Act bans hospitals from charging sexual assault victims for evidence collection kits more commonly known as “rape kits.”

However, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman found that a Brooklyn hospital had been charging survivors unfairly—and ordered them to pay them back. AP reports:

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said that under an agreement with his office, the Brooklyn Hospital Center will reimburse patients who paid out of pocket for a rape kit and will inform rape survivors going forward that under a 2005 New York state law the rape kits can be billed to the state’s Office of Victim Services.

Schneiderman is aware that this is not an isolated incident; he plans on addressing billing shortfalls in hospitals across the state.

Schneiderman said he has also sent letters to 10 other hospitals throughout the state seeking information on how they bill sexual assault survivors and hopes the agreement with Brooklyn Hospital will serve as a model.

It’s awful that this is a win to be celebrated in the first place, but I am glad to see the problem being addressed. I hope others follow suit.