Pro-life clinics provide choice for women who need help

Julie Reeder

Publisher

The overturning of Roe v Wade was a big deal. I get that people who believe abortion is murder of a human being are happy that at least laws regulating this procedure are relegated back to the individual states.

Abortion rights in California will not be affected and we will probably become an abortion tourism state with growth in the number of clinics up and down the state. And, I would imagine our tax dollars will probably go to subsidize the abortions of people from other states. However, a huge percentage of abortions, I’ve read up to 40%, are done by abortion pills like RU-486 which can be received through the mail.

On the other hand, people who strongly support abortion rights, are scared. While they usually point immediately to the inability of women to get abortions who are pregnant from rape or incest those cases are horrible, but the percentage overall is actually very small. I believe that number is less than 1%. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from a 20-year study, reported almost 3 million women in the U.S. experienced RRP (rape related pregnancy) during their lifetime and the prevalence of RRP was similar across racial and ethnic groups (i.e., Hispanic, White non-Hispanic, Black non-Hispanic and other non-Hispanic).

It is true that after the Supreme Court decision some women will have to travel further if they don’t abort by ordering medications through the mail. There have always been “abortion deserts” across the country where women had to travel three or four hours to reach an actual clinic. Some women will now have to travel double that to reach a clinic.

But there are still alternatives for women who don’t think they have any alternatives. They now are under attack more than ever, which is ironic when they are providing services to the women that pro-abortion people claim to care about.

Since the leak of the Supreme Court opinion, at least 24 pro-life pregnancy centers have been attacked. It has been reported that the pro-abortion militant group Jane’s Revenge has claimed responsibility for many of the attacks and they warn of more to come.

“Your thirty days expired yesterday,” the group stated in a letter published June 15. “We offered an honorable way out. You could have walked away. Now the leash is off. And we will make it as hard as possible for your campaign of oppression to continue.”

According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, which tracks arson, vandalism and other destruction, there have also been attacks directed at U.S. Catholic churches. There have been at least 134 incidents across 35 states and Washington, D.C., in the last two years.

Here is my personal experience. The pro-life pregnancy centers exist to help both single and married women of all races, creeds, religions or gender identity who find themselves pregnant. This includes medical appointments, food, clothing, counseling, baby furniture and whatever is needed by the women and their partners or family.

One of my early experiences 25 years ago with a center was to volunteer to provide housing to a single pregnant woman who chose to keep her baby. It was a really great experience to help her and the baby and we were happy we were recruited.

In my own family we have experienced both people that chose abortion and people who went to an abortion clinic but turned away and came home to let the family know she was pregnant and now we have another amazing grandchild which adds so much to our life that we couldn’t imagine our lives without her. That child was redemptive in every way and is an amazing person.

As far as the clinic in Fallbrook, they never coerce people who come in for help. They council and provide whatever help is needed. They do an amazing job. They provide a real choice and don’t make money either way. When you go into an abortion clinic, you enter the abortion industrial complex. They are not there to give you any alternatives. According to girls who have gone in to talk to them and women who have worked at clinics and managed clinics, they are there for one reason and that is to sell you an abortion.

A woman who walks into a pro-life clinic is free to leave and go get an abortion, but first they are offered tangible help, no matter who they are or what their background is.

My family members took advantage of parenting classes which they really enjoyed. Someone was there whenever they needed a shoulder, advice or tangible things like a crib, high chair, diapers, formula or whatever was needed.

Since then, our local Hope Center for Women has broadened their services to become a licensed primary care medical clinic. Their professionally trained staff provides no cost services onsite, including care for mind, body and spirit before, during and after pregnancy.

They have been able to build their center after help from the community. Their donors include business people, churches and many individual donors. Women and families who find help at Hope Clinic are being supported by the larger community.

Hope Clinic also collaborates with many local services including public, private and nonprofit organizations that offer referrals within our community.

And like my family has experienced, each year, nearly 98% of their clients are satisfied with the services they receive at Hope Clinic. They report feeling like they were treated with respect and they report that they would return for future care and would recommend their services to a friend.

I just wanted to present what I know of these centers. They are providing a real choice with love and no-cost professional care.

Alternatively, they are being attacked by what looks to me like pro-abortion terrorists who are vandalizing and not supporting “choice.”