Men and women respond online with stories, poetry about their abortion experiences
An ad campaign stating that "abortion changes you" has been seen by hundreds of thousands of New York subway riders during the past month. And more than 1,400 New Yorkers have responded by visiting the Abortion Changes You website. In one ad, an Asian female shares: "I thought life would be the way it was before," while a tattooed male on another says: "I often wonder if there was something I could have done to help her."
Visitors to the website AbortionChangesYou.com have shared their experiences through stories, artwork, and poetry.
One woman shared: "I would like to thank you for listening to my story. I thought and at times felt like I was the only one who was going through this." Another wrote, "I'm 24, confused and alone... I felt like I was the only one suffering until I found this website on the train."
Another woman remarked: "I don't feel like what I did was wrong... but it wasn't always like this." She carried her secret for two years and didn't seek help. She experienced depression and difficulty in school until she told friends about her abortion. "They were going to be my support group... I finally felt like I could get over the abortion and move on with my life," she writes.
Family members shared experiences as well. One person shared the loss of two siblings because of abortion: "It hurt me deeply to know that I had a brother and/or sister who was taken from me... My mother spent many years grieving and healing."
New Yorkers also participated in other areas of the site. For instance, men and women are able to select from a range of emotions and share how they are feeling. The top feelings submitted in the last month were "ashamed", "angry", "alone", and "changed".
"I am glad that the ads have resonated with New Yorkers," says Michaelene Fredenburg, author of Changed: Making Sense of Your Own or a Loved One's Abortion Experience, and the creator of the ads. "Knowing that you are not alone and being able to talk about your experience is so important. Reaching out after my abortion was a turning point for me."
Contact: Ashley Walker, Christine Schicker
Source: The Maximus Group, AbortionChangesYou.com
Source URL: http://www.abortionchangesyou.com
Publish Date: November 11, 2008
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