Blumenthal to FCC: Provide Safe Lifeline to Survivors of Domestic Violence

[Hartford, CT] –U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging the commission to adopt strong rules to help survivors of domestic violence and other crimes to cut ties with their abusers and separate from shared wireless service plans, which can be exploited to monitor, stalk or control victims.

“These two protections — access and privacy — are essential to protecting victims of domestic violence from abusers who right now can track, monitor, stalk or emotionally inflict damage on them. And that is the kind of rulemaking the FCC should do,” Blumenthal said at a press conference announcing the letter. 

Domestic violence perpetrators exercise control and continue their abuse of survivors by cutting off their victims’ ability to communicate and connect with family, friends, and critical support services. The Safe Connections Act, passed by Congress in 2022, empowers survivors to separate from shared cell phone service plans and also requires the FCC to develop rules on providing survivors with access to the Lifeline Program — subsidized broadband and phone services.

In the letter, Blumenthal urges the FCC to adopt strong privacy rules to protect survivors and lower barriers to access the Lifeline and the Affordable Connectivity Program by allowing survivors to self-identify as survivors instead of requiring a third party to vouch for the abuse.

“We’re saying to the FCC, ‘Take the woman’s word for it. Her word is enough – that she has been a victim of abuse, that she lacks the financial resources to access a separate plan or account. Her word should be enough that she needs to use the Lifeline program,” Blumenthal said.

A copy of the letter can be found here and video from a press conference announcement can be found here.

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