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STAMFORD, Conn. One goal for U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy would be to help victims of domestic violence get the help they need if he is elected to the U.S. Senate this November, he said in a speech Friday in Stamford.
It is not an easy thing to do. Its a heroic act, Murphy, D-5th District, said of victims who come forward and seek help. He spoke to about 40 people at the Domestic Violence Crisis Center in Stamford.
Murphy is running against Linda McMahon, a Republican, for the seat occupied by Sen. Joseph Lieberman, who is retiring at the end of his term.
Murphy suggested setting up programs for prosecutors and judges around the country to learn more about domestic violence and how to deal with victims when they are in court.
He also said he would back programs to help victims find jobs and get training. Reforming health care to lower insurance costs for women, which can be as much as 60 percent more than men, would be another part of his plan, Murphy said.
Murphy said he has been a supporter of the Violence Against Women Act and wants to maintain the rights of victims who are gay or lesbian, undocumented immigrants, Native Americans and others who some Republicans wanted to leave out of the most recent version of the act.
Everyone in this country should be protected by law, he said, adding that it should not be a bipartisan issue.
He was introduced to domestic violence by his mother, who volunteered at a local shelter when he was growing up, Murphy said.
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