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Just the Facts: Abortion bans are deadly and inhumane
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Key Points
Sources
Situation - Roe v Wade overturned
History.com, https://www.history.com/topics/womens-rights/roe-v-wade
Findlaw, “The practical impact of Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health”, June 24, 2022, https://www.findlaw.com/legalblogs/federal-courts/the-practical-impact-of-dobbs-vjackson-womens-health/
Texas banned abortion without exceptions
Public Religion Research Institute, May 3, 2022, https://www.prri.org/spotlight/mostoppose-overturning-roe-v-wade-widespread-confusion-over-a-post-roe-world/
The decision to eliminate abortion rights harms patients and communities in many ways:
1. It places women’s health at risk, especially by delaying care.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, “Understanding Ectopic Pregnancies”, https://www.acog.org/advocacy/facts-are-important/understandingectopic-pregnancy
Maternal Mortality in the United States After Abortion Bans - Gender Equity Policy Institute (GEPI)
Texas Tribune, 7/20/23, https://www.texastribune.org/2023/07/19/texas-women-testify-abortion-ban/; https://thegepi.org/maternal-mortality-abortion-bans/
2. It harms vulnerable Texans and perpetuates cycles of poverty.
Cohen, Allie. “A Year after the Supreme Court Overturned Roe v. Wade, Trends in State Abortion Laws Have Emerged.” Center for American Progress, Center for American Progress, 15 June 2023, www.americanprogress.org/article/a-year-after-the-supremecourt-overturned-roe-v-wade-trends-in-state-abortion-laws-have-emerged/.; Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law & Policy, 2/24/22, "The Disparate Impact of Texas’ Abortion Ban on Low-Income and Rural Women", https://www.law.georgetown.edu/poverty-journal/blog/the-disparate-impact-of-texas-abortion-ban-on-low-income-and-rural-women/
3. It is not effective at reducing abortion rates.
World Health Organization, 5/17/24, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/abortion; American Medical Association, 9/1/21, https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/pressreleases/ama-statement-texas-sb8
4. The majority of Texans do not agree with the Texas abortion ban.
Survey on Abortion, Hobby School of Public Affairs at University of Houston, Stanford University and University of Arizona, 2023, https://uh.edu/hobby/jointpollingproject_abortion
Texas Politics Project, 2/19/24, https://texaspolitics.utexas.edu/blog/texas-views-abortion-economy-and-guns-february-2024-uttexas-politics-project-poll
5. Banning abortions is not the most effective way to reduce abortions. Access to sex education, contraception, and family planning services are more effective, and empowering.
Healthy Futures of Texas, “About Sex Education in Texas”, https://www.texasisready.org/sexed
Christian Science Monitor, 3/12/10, https://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2010/0312/High-divorce-rates-andteen-pregnancy-are-worse-in-conservative-states-than-liberal-states
The Guttmacher Institute, March 2011, https://www.guttmacher.org/article/2011/03/contraception-works-and-publicly-funded-family-planning-programs-are-essential
Scripts for Abortion Bills
Calling your Representatives – State HOUSE Reps are MOST important at THIS time:
Hello, my name is _____ and I’m a constituent in zip code _____.
I’m calling to ask my representative to VOTE NO ON SB 2880. This bill criminalizes patients who need an abortion, allows $100,000 lawsuits against anyone who supports a patient’s need for an abortion, and even goes after judges and lawyers. This violates our freedoms, our fundamental constitutional rights, and harms the safety of Texans. It does not matter if you are for or against abortion rights, this bill goes far beyond abortion. It attacks due process, freedom of speech, states rights, and our system of checks and balances.
Thank you.