Benson aims to use House run to empower women

[Blue_In_AK]

http://www.adn.com/news/politics/house/story/397289.html

By SEAN COCKERHAM and LISA DEMER
Anchorage Daily News

Alaska congressional candidate Diane Benson, a survivor of repeated sexual assaults, said Monday a major focus of her campaign will be to help other women overcome violence and indifference.

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Benson is one of three Democrats running for Alaska Republican Don Young's U.S. House seat. She said her campaign changed a lot after a Daily News story last week in which she spoke about being raped. Benson had talked about it at justice conferences for years and was on a panel at an Anchorage conference on fighting violence against Native women.

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Benson said part of her own decision to speak out is "blowing the lid off this label of victim."

"I'm running (for Congress) regardless of all this stuff that's happened to me," Benson said. "And other women should start to get the message they too could be empowered to go on, that life is possible."




Have I mentioned lately how much I LOVE this woman? :) If anyone has extra money laying around and is looking for a good House candidate to donate to, Diane's the one. She ROCKS.