- Target:
- United States Congress
- Region:
- United States of America
Throughout much of America's history, the idea of 'abortions' has been greatly debated. From "Roe vs. Wade" to "Planned Parenthood vs. Casey" women across the country have for years been seeking to have the right to their own bodies, and the right to make their own decisions regarding their bodies. After "Roe vs. Wade" there has been an extreme effort in congress and in state legislatures to create refusal laws. Over the years, these laws have spread to hospitals, health care professionals, and even pharmacies. In some states, a pharmacy can refuse to fill your birth control prescription. And a hospital can refuse to give an abortion to a woman whose health is at risk.
Refusal laws allow for trained professionals to deny a woman a procedure that may save her life. Not only this, but refusal laws disproportionately affect low-income women, being as the closest clinic that could provide her service may be hundreds of miles away, causing her to spend money on transportation, housing, food, child-care services, and more. Refusal laws are unjust and not only do they affect abortion care, but also: contraception, genetic counseling, infertility treatment, treatment for sexual assault survivors, STD and HIV testing, and much more. Refusal laws limit access to complete and necessary information and medical care while making it infinitely more difficult for some women to access abortion services. Health care institutions have a responsibility to make sure that their patients receive accurate information and the appropriate and necessary care. The failure to do so is wrong and puts the health of so many American women at risk. Every year, over 68,000 women die due to illegal or unsafe abortions, making it one of the leading causes of maternal death (13%). Of the women who do survive these unsafe abortions, 5 million will suffer from long-term health complications. By ending refusal laws we can create an environment where women have the right to their own family, their own body, and their own future. By providing safe medical care and by giving accurate information, lives can be saved.
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