Lost in the politics and rhetoric is the surprising, seldom-reported evidence that MOST, not some, abortions are unwanted or coerced. Many are deceptively informed or even forced. Coercion can escalate to violence. The threats are real. Homicide is the #1 killer of pregnant women.
Coercion can involve professional negligence, deceptive
counseling or false information presented by licensed professionals or trusted authorities as fact. It may involve job or housing discrimination, such as the threat of being fired or evicted for refusing to abort.
One mother was turned away from a homeless shelter unless she would have an abortion. In other cases, it is an abuser who seeks abortion to cover up his crimes or parents who force their daughters to abort. Published research exposes the synergy of coercion that is, for many, just the tip of the iceberg:
Before abortion:
"There were about 100 women in the waiting room and no one was talking."
"We were herded like cattle."
"I had so many questions. The doctor told me to be quiet."
"Every Tuesday a scheduled bus took students to the clinic. It was all so organized."
52% felt rushed, 54% uncertain,
64% feel pressured to abort, yet
67% had NO counseling beforehand,
79% were not told of available alternatives
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84% were not given enough information to make an informed choice.
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After abortion:
"My sister was crying as she entered the clinic, she cried throughout the procedure, and she was crying as she left. Three children are growing up without their Mom because nobody wanted to ask questions." - sister of post-abortion suicide victim
"She typed her last words on a synthesizer: 'Get in touch with my Dad. Tell him I love him." - Susanne, was paralyzed by and eventually died from abortion complications
"Many, many girls and women have wound up in the emergency room of hospitals bleeding uncontrollably or deathly sick from infection because the doctors botched their abortions. Many, many of these girls and women have had to undergo hysterectomies. Quite a number have died. - Kevin Sherlock in The Scarlet Survey
65% suffer symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome
31% suffered health complications, some of which are life-threatening
65% higher risk of clinical depression
Death rates from all causes are 4.5 times higher
Suicide rates are 6 times higher