Forced Abortion

All pregnancy centers have faced the horrible problem of parents forcing their pregnant teen daughter to have an abortion against her will. Many times individuals working at a pregnancy center are unsure about how to approach this problem and how to advise the pregnant teen mother.  The Justice Foundation has developed a project called Center Against Forced Abortions (“CAFA”) which provides tools for centers to protect and advise every pregnant teen mother facing this situation.

No one – not even her parents – can legally force a pregnant teen mother to have an abortion.  But sometimes these teens, their parents, school counselors, and perhaps even pregnancy center staff may not be aware of this fact.  The Justice Foundation in cooperation with Care Net, Heartbeat and NIFLA, will provide pregnancy centers with new tools to empower and help protect these young women from the horrible trauma of forced abortion.

The following are helpful tips to train pregnancy care center staff on the use of the attached documents:

“Client Letter” Before giving this letter to the teen mother, you should explain the information contained in the letter. This letter should be provided to the teen mother advising her that she cannot legally be forced or coerced into having an abortion by her parent, boyfriend or other relatives.  She and she alone has the right to make this decision.  Anyone who attempts to use force or coercion could be subject to charges of abuse and in some states fetal homicide if they force her to have the abortion.  Let her know that there are legal resources available to help her and that you can connect her with the appropriate help if she is getting coerced by anyone to have an abortion.  If you need any legal advice concerning this issue you may call The Justice Foundation at 210-614-7157.

“Parent Letter” This letter should also be given to the teen mother in case she experiences strong reactions from her parents after informing them she is pregnant.  Explain that the letter is to inform her parents that though they may be shocked and angry; there are positive outcomes that may come from this situation.  The letter also explains that it is unlawful for parents to force their daughters into having an abortion.  They could be subject to criminal charges of abuse, and/or in some states fetal homicide if they go through with the forced abortion.  You may recommend that the teen mother bring her parents into the center  to talk about this and that you might be able to help explain this to them.  This letter has been proven extremely effective to convince parents not to force their daughter to have an abortion against her will.

We have another tool (Letter to Abortionist) if the teen mother is about to be taken to an abortion facility against her wishes.  This is the abortionist letter and it was developed by Mark Crutcher of Life Dynamics.  This letter tells the abortion facilities and law enforcement agencies that a girl is being pressured against her will to have an abortion and the letter is signed by the teen mother.  It also states that they could be criminally liable if they allow this abortion to be performed against her will.

The “Dear Police Letter” is your tool for informing police that they should help prevent forced abortion to avoid legal liability on their part.

The “Dear School Counselor Letter” advises school counselors and social workers that forced abortion is illegal and they can be liable for damages if they participate in forced abortion.

Problem

• Many teenage girls are being coerced into abortion by their parents
• Pregnancy resource centers are generally unequipped to help legally defend these clients, and subsequently coerced abortions occur
• Even under Roe v. Wade, the decision to keep the child is supposedly the woman’s alone, so these young women’s rights are being violated when they are coerced into abortion

Response

• The Justice Foundation has created a “Dear Parent Letter,” which (in a friendly, helpful, and serious manner) informs the teen mother’s parents that they could be guilty of illegal actions if they force their daughter to have an abortion
• Combined with Life Dynamics Letter to Abortionists, which is a signed statement indicating the mother’s non-consent to an abortion, the two documents form a powerful legal defense that empowers the teen mother to stand for her child

Effectiveness

• Gives pregnancy centers a proven strategy to defend teens from parentally coerced abortions
• Equips the teen mother with legal documents empowering her decision to keep her child
• Trial distributions indicate the strategy is very effective (testimonies below)
• If just one baby is saved at two out of every three pregnancy resource centers that receive the letter and training, then CAFA will facilitate the protection of 2,000 babies lives