March 24, 2021

ACLU Report Argues that Parental Consent (Rather than Family Abuse) Causes Harm to Minors

photo credit: Anthony Tran / Unsplash
The ACLU and Human Rights Watch recently collaborated to create a report arguing that Illinois's Parental Notification of Abortion Act causes "real harm" to minors seeking abortions.

The report, titled, “The Only People It Really Affects Are the People It Hurts” argues that parental notification laws violate human rights.

Margaret Wurth is a researcher at Human Rights Watch who authored the report. In an article for the Chicago Sun-Times, she said, “For me, the real takeaway is that this violates people’s rights and it causes real harm. It’s a human rights imperative to repeal it.”

Wurth said to WSILTV, “Most often, according to the data presented in our report, young people fear being forced to continue a pregnancy against their own will or being kicked out of the home or cut off financially.”

Under current law, parents cannot force their children to continue a pregnancy against their will. The Parental Notice of Abortion Act only requires what its title states: notification. Parental consent to the abortion is not required. Therefore, parents who abuse their children in response to their decision to abort a child can be held criminally liable for their actions.

If a minor experiences abuse by parents or guardians and fears the parental notification requirement, getting rid of parental notification will not solve the problem. The minor will simply go back to her abusive household after having an abortion and nothing will change.

Young girls can instead receive support from organizations that will remove them from abusive environments. If child protective services and police are allowed to take action, then parental notification no longer threatens these girls.

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