Wisconsin Women Continue to Suffer as Republicans Pursue Rigid Ideological Agenda

As October marks the beginning of both Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Wisconsin Republicans continue to obstruct progress and Wisconsin women continue to lose ground when it comes to these two issues central to women’s health and well-being.

Last week, a fifth women’s healthcare clinic closed its doors due to Scott Walker’s politically-motivated budget cuts. The Fond du Lac Planned Parenthood clinic served approximately 1,100 women per year providing breast and cervical cancer screenings, STD testing and treatment, and birth control. For many women in the area and across the state, Planned Parenthood is the only low-cost provider of critical preventive care and family planning services.

Women’s preventive health services also include screening and counseling for domestic violence.

Democrats nationally supported the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which provides crucial protections, resources, and support for victims of domestic violence, even as a majority of House Republicans and Sen. Ron Johnson opposed the measure.

“As we commemorate both Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, it’s important to remember that these critical issues affect far too many women every single day of the year and, while we have made progress, there is much work to be done to ensure women are healthy and safe,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Communications Director Melissa Baldauff said Thursday. “Because when it comes to women’s health and well-being, Republicans like Scott Walker continue to obstruct progress by pursuing policies that put women at risk, restrict access to comprehensive healthcare, and prevent us from participating fully and equally in society.”