AOC says abortion bans ‘conscript’ the poor to work. Research shows restrictions have devastating economic impacts
In a hearing on the far-reaching consequences of anti-abortion laws on 29 September, US Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said that denying abortion access to millions of Americans is a “profound economic issue”.
“Forcing poor and working class people to give birth against their will, against their consent, against their ability to provide for themselves or their child is a profound economic issue,” she told the House Oversight committee. “It certainly is a way to keep a workforce, basically, conscripted.”
Read the full article at The Independent
Washington Post Op-ed Counters Claims that U.S. Abortion Restrictions Are Aligned with European Laws
In an op-ed published in The Washington Post, Leah Hoctor, senior regional director for Europe at the Center for Reproductive Rights, counters claims made by U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham and others that Graham’s proposed federal law banning abortion at 15 weeks of pregnancy would align the U.S. with abortion laws in European countries.
Such a claim is “simply untrue,” says Hochter.
Hochter states that “almost all European countries allow abortion throughout pregnancy on a range of grounds, including where there are risks to a patient’s physical or mental health, and in situations involving severe or fatal fetal impairment.” Except for the very few European nations that retain highly restrictive laws on abortion, “no other European country ‘bans’ abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy,” she adds.
Read the full article at Center for Reproductive Rights
What it costs to get an abortion now
With the procedure banned in 14 states, patients face added expenses for travel, lodging and child care. More of them are turning to charities for help.
Since the court’s decision to overturn Roe versus Wade, abortion has been banned in large parts of the Midwest and the South. Those seeking abortions must travel farther and stay longer, often spending thousands of dollars on added costs beyond the procedure itself, including flights, hotels, child care, food and gas.
About half of women who have abortions are living below the poverty line, and most states do not allow the use of state Medicaid funds to cover the cost of the procedure. Abortion funds have been inundated with callers seeking money and support.
Read the full article at New York Times
Top Republican urged murder charges for women who defied abortion ban
Asked in 2019 if he was saying women should be charged with murder for violating an abortion ban he proposed, Doug Mastriano, now the Republican nominee for governor of Pennsylvania, said: “Yes, I am.”
Mastriano was talking to WITF, a radio station, about a bill he sponsored as a state senator.
The bill would have barred most abortions when cardiac activity could be detected, which is usually about six weeks into pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant.
Read the full article at Guardian
Only two weeks to go!
There’s only two weeks to go until Battleground arrives in theaters across the U.S. and we could not be more excited. We’d love for you to help us spread the word about the film so we can spark conversation about reproductive rights. You can find readymade social media posts and content to share on our website. We really appreciate your support!
Tickets are already on sale at select theaters with more being added everyday. Check the Watch page to find a theater near you!
One week to go!
There’s only one week to go until ‘Battleground’ opens in theaters. We are so excited to spark conversation about reproductive rights to cinema audiences in cities across the U.S. Screenings are already confirmed across in Kansas City, Missoula, Miami, Fayetteville, Hollywood, Claremont, Santa Monica, Encino, San Francisco, Lincoln, Joplin, Tuczon and theaters across New York state! Keep an eye on the watch page of our website with more theaters being added everyday.
If we’re not coming to your city yet, don’t fear,, you can host a screening in your community too! Find out how to host a screening.
We’d love for you to help us spread the word about the film so we can spark conversation about reproductive rights. You can find readymade social media posts and content to share on our website. We really appreciate your support!
This week, the team attended the Woodstock Film Festival and take part in a special preview at Columbia University in New York.
