Abortion Rights Demonstrators Rally in Scottsdale, Arizona
If the right wanted to bring more babies into the world by banning abortion, the plan is backfiring. In fact, abortions have increased since June 2022 when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Every state without a ban, especially those adjacent to red states, saw a rise in abortions from 2020 through 2023. Despite severe restrictions, women have managed to end their pregnancies, with abortion rates reaching their highest level in over a decade in 2023.
Self-managed abortions using pills have become more prevalent, with online services like PlanC, Aid Access, and Abuzz disseminating information. Abortion funds are assisting abortion-seekers with travel, child care, and medical costs. The feminist underground is outpacing the efforts to ban these tools, providing free abortion on demand without apology.
Apart from abortion, sterilization rates among adults ages 18 to 30 have been increasing, with a significant rise observed after the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling that nullified Roe. The trend is gendered, with a higher increase in procedures for female patients. While birth control remains legal and constitutionally protected, the religious right is chipping away at it as well.
The legal threats and restrictions on abortion are causing desperation among abortion-seekers in ban states. Emergency rooms are turning away pregnant patients in distress, leading to tragic outcomes. The bans have also led to an increase in intimate partner homicides against pregnant women, with abusive partners exerting control by keeping their partners pregnant.
The surge of support for legal abortion across party lines has flummoxed anti-abortion activists. Despite their efforts to push conservative arguments or progressive solutions, they cannot force people to want babies they don’t want. Prohibition does not reduce rates of abortion, and where it is illegal, pregnant patients turn to unsafe providers, leading to fatalities.
In conclusion, bans on abortion have not slowed down the procedure but have instead led to tragic consequences such as sterilization, murders, and suicides. The right’s attempts to restrict abortion have only fueled a stronger resolve among women seeking reproductive freedom. The fight for bodily autonomy continues despite the challenges posed by anti-abortion laws and restrictions.
The post Sterilization, Murders, Suicides: Bans Haven’t Slowed Abortions, and They’re Costing Lives appeared first on The Intercept.