If it wasn’t clear before, it is now. Speaker James Amann, D-Milford, said Wednesday with a resounding “Yes” that he supports the distribution of Plan B for rape victims.
At a press conference with the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence Amann said, ”I support a woman who has been brutally raped receiving the services she needs.”
He said he takes offense to this being framed as a religious debate because it’s not only Catholic hospitals that have denied women access to Plan B, an emergency contraception that prevents fertilization. He said he hopes “we can find common ground on this issue when I am asked.”
He said at the moment he’s waiting to see what happens to the legislation which is in the Human Services Committee. The public hearing on the bill was Tuesday and a vote is anticipated in the next few weeks.
In addition to his support of Plan B for rape victims, Amann said he supports increasing funds for the state’s 18 domestic violence programs by $2.25 million.
Advocates against domestic violence including Ms. Connecticut Heidi Voight (pictured with Amann) said the funding would allow the programs to offer services 24/7.
Voight, a certified rape crisis counselor, said “We must ensure that domestic violence victims have 24/7 access to emergency services because in many cases, a missed opportunity may have been a last opportunity.”
Over the past fiscal year the 18 domestic violence programs in the state served 54,641 victims and provided shelter for 2,031 battered women and their children.
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