... unwanted widespread coercion unsafe
teens & moms at risk unfair
injustice to all involved
hope & healing you are not alone
facts
unwanted abortions | 64% report being pressured into unwanted abortions.2 8 out of 10 said it’s unlikely they’d have aborted if others had supported them.3 52% felt rushed, 54% unsure; yet 67% received no counseling.2 79% were not informed about alternatives.2 84% reported that they did not receive adequate counseling.2 45% of men interviewed at abortion clinics recalled urging abortion (including 37% of married men).4 In 95% of all cases the male partner played a central role in the decision.9 Simply being pregnant places women at higher risk of being attacked.8 Murder is the leading cause of death among pregnant women.7 A former abortion clinic security guard testified that women were routinely threatened and abused by the boyfriends and husbands who took them to the clinics to make sure they underwent their scheduled abortions.5 Women and girls are often pushed by clinic staff who sell abortions.6 In many cases, a trusted pastor, physician, parent or counselor made the decision. A survey of women seeking help after abortions found that up to 80% would have given birth if they'd had support and encouragement from family and friends.3 Many men, women and families feel betrayed by expert coercion, deception or non-support. |
| unwanted widespread unwanted, coerced or even forced abortion
"Look, I'll give you 5 minutes to think about it."
 | I collapsed in sheer exhaustion.
I told her that I had been outside for hours.
I cried hysterically ... with my head in my hands ... The pressure was on. ... The counselor told me that if I was going to abort then I would have to do it right now. The counselor said 'Look, I'll give you five minutes to think about it and when I come back, I want your answer.' Now I was going into a state of panic and shock. I could barely speak ... The counselor glared at me, sighed a deep sigh and said 'Look, they're all waiting for you, you know' ... – Genevieve, from the book, Giving Sorrow Words |
coercion, from expert deception, pressure or negligence to personal threats, ultimatums or violence |
"The rhetoric of choice suggests there are a lot of choices,
all good and of equal weight ... it suggests no coercion, direct or indirect."
– Melinda Tankard Reist coercion is common, traumatic and a risk to any pregnant woman |
New evidence reveals that abortion is not about a woman’s freedom to choose — studies show that abortion often stems from the demands, threats or non-support of others who may have significant influence and/or authority ... or deceptive or false information presented by authorities as "fact." ... many abortions take place even when it violates the mother's own beliefs, values and strongly expressed desire to keep the baby.1 Women who have had abortions come from all walks of life. ... but despite their many differences, many were deceived and manipulated or actively blocked from the "choice" they wanted. Many were directly or indirectly forced into unwanted abortions. Still others were blackmailed or threatened, sometimes violently. It's no wonder that a growing number of women see abortion as a tool by which women have been abandoned and exploited. For millions of women hurt by pregnancy-related injustices and post-abortion injury, heartbreak or even death ... it was never about free, fair or fully informed "choice."
Abortion is often a demand, an ultimatum, a threat, a shell game or an unfair substitute for accurate information, full disclosure, authentic support and meaningful alternatives.  "Every Tuesday, a bus picked up students from all the area high schools and took them to the Planned Parenthood clinic. … it was all so organized. …They were all particularly careful to find out when my parents would not be home … On the bus, I felt as though I had no control over what was happening to me… still today, I feel like I did not decide to have the abortion."– Gaylene
 "The night I told him I was pregnant, he destroyed our apartment. He was screaming at me, telling me I was a whore, slut, pig, you name it. He told me that the kid would be retarded, abnormal, and to get rid of it. NOW! The whole time he cornered me in the bedroom, throwing things and killing me with his words. ... He was so mean. ... His eyes were so black with anger. … The abortion ripped my world apart." – Mary, in Forbidden Grief "[My parents] ... told me to leave the house and forget that I was their daughter." I left the house with no job, no money, no home and nowhere to turn, feeling utterly abandoned and alone. Still, I was certain I would not get an abortion. I wanted my child. ... my father sent several messages urging me to have an abortion. I refused. But as I began to feel more desperate, I shut down my feelings ... functioning more like a surreal observer than someone in control. – Theresa Bonopartis link to these and other stories about unwanted, coerced or forced abortions
coercion can escalate to violence, forced abortion or even homicide - #1 killer of pregnant women |
 Women have been forced into clinics or restrained when they tried to escape an unwanted abortion. Women have been silenced when they were uncertain or when they asked "too many questions." Some who refused to abort have been subjected to terrible abuses, such as forced injections, stabbings, beatings, strangulation, gunshots and even bombings.
These are not idle threats. Coercion can escalate to violence or even homicide if women won't abort. Homicide is the leading cause of death for pregnant women.2
>> more about coerced or forced abortion
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