Debicella Continues to Distort the Truth with New Ad

PRESS RELEASE

Connecticut’s 4th District

September 16, 2010 Contact: Liz Kerr, 203-275-9715         

Despite amendment based on compromise with Catholic Church, Debicella still voted against ensuring rape victims have access to emergency contraception.

BRIDGEPORT, CT—In his continued desperate attempt to skew the truth, Dan Debicella released a new television ad yesterday defending his vote against a law that requires hospitals to make emergency contraception available to rape victims. Debicella claims he voted against the measure to protect Catholic hospitals, but the reality is he was one of only three senators to vote against a compromise bill based on similar laws in New York and New Jersey. The law includes a provision that allows Catholic hospitals to bring in an independent provider to administer the contraception.

“Imagine being raped and having to call a taxi to take you to a different hospital to get the medication you need to ensure you won’t become pregnant,” said Himes’ spokeswoman Elizabeth Kerr. “Again, we see Dan Debicella skewing the facts to fit his own version of reality, and this time he’s playing politics with victims of one of the scariest and most traumatic events a woman could ever experience.”

More offensive even than Debicella’s vote against requiring hospitals to offer emergency contraception to rape victims are his comments responding to questions about his vote. In a 2008 debate hosted by the Stratford Chamber of Commerce Debicella said, “On the rape bill all I voted against was a bill allowing morning-after contraception to be issued to victims.” [Connecticut Post. “Stratford candidates face off.” October 28, 2008.]

Click here to watch a press conference held by women leaders in response Debicella’s comments.

The Facts:

In 2007 Dan Debicella voted against SB 1343, An Act Concerning Compassionate Care for Victims of Sexual Assault. The bill required hospitals to offer emergency contraception to rape victims.

Debicella claims he voted against the legislation to protect Catholic hospitals from performing procedures not in accordance with their beliefs, but in reality the law is based on similar laws passed in New York and New Jersey and includes a comprise that allows Catholic hospitals to bring in an independent provider to administer the contraception. “Forge Ahead with Plan B.” Hartford Courant. [4/26/2007]

The Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services issued by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2001 states, “A female who has been raped should be able to defend herself against a potential conception from the sexual assault. If, after appropriate testing, there is no evidence that conception has occurred already, she may be treated with medications that would prevent ovulation, sperm capacitation, or fertilization.”

###