'Our goal is to emphasize that there are resources available, and there are better answers than abortion.'
As the economy continues to struggle, some Planned Parenthood clinics are reporting a record number of abortions, according to a recent Los Angeles Times article.
An Oakland, Calif.-based group that claims to help poor women seeking reproductive health care reports about 72 percent of its calls are from women considering abortions, up from 60 percent last year, the Times reported.
A year ago, abortions accounted for 1 percent of business at Planned Parenthood clinics in Fresno, Calif. Now, it's about 3 percent.
And California taxpayers funded 94,600 abortions for poor women in 2005, the most recent year for which data is available.
Brian Johnston, executive director of the California ProLife Council, said abortion clinics exploit a woman at her most vulnerable point.
"If she knows she has people who are willing to help her, that greatly impacts her decision," he said. "Our goal is to emphasize that there are resources available, and there are better answers than abortion."
Johnston said life advocates have more to offer than "15 minutes on the table."
"The pro-life movement is made of people who are opening their homes and pocketbooks," he said. "They are genuinely involved in these women's lives."
Carrie Gordon Earll, senior bioethics analyst at Focus on the Family Action, said the pro-life community has a unique opportunity in this economy to step up and support these women.
"Unexpected circumstances always present opportunity, and this is an ideal time for local pregnancy centers to increase outreach to women in unexpected pregnancies," she said. "
"We'd encourage CitizenLink readers to check with their local pregnancy center to see what they can do to lend additional support during this time of economic strain."
On the plus side, one of the country's oldest "feminist" health (and abortion) clinics — Women's Choice Clinic in Oakland — closed last month because it couldn't pay its bills.
Contact: Jennifer Mesko
Source: CitizenLink
Publish Date: May 28, 2009
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