Clinics have begun closing in some US states after a Supreme Court ruling, removed American women’s constitutional right to abortion.
About half of the states are expected to introduce new restrictions or bans after the Court overturned its 50-year-old Roe v Wade decision. Of these, 13 have outlawed abortion instantly. US President, Joe Biden, after the ruling, described it as “a tragic error”. Reports circulating indicated that the decision by the Court compelled protests in cities across the US.
At an abortion clinic in Little Rock, Arkansas, a state with a so-called trigger law allowing an instant ban, the doors to the patient area shut as soon as the court’s ruling on abortion was posted online and sobbing could be heard. The staff of the hospital made calls to tell women that their appointments were cancelled.
Situations after Court Ruling
A Nurse, Ashli Hunt, told the media that “No matter how hard we prepare for bad news when it finally hits, it hits hard. Having to call these patients and tell them Roe v Wade was overturned is heartbreaking”.
Escorts at the clinic Arkansan accompanied patients through the throng of protesters and held a group hug. The lead escort, Miss Karen, disclosed that “I thought that this country would still care about people, would still care about women”. However, on the other hand, anti-abortion protesters celebrated. “You are on notice!”, a protestor shouted at people still parking their cars at the clinic who had not heard about the decision yet. “My suggestion is for you to turn around and leave this place of sin, this place of inequity, this evil place.”
In New Orleans, Louisiana, which is another trigger law state, the Women’s Health Care Centre, one of only three abortion providers in the state, was closed and its staff had gone home. Outside the clinic, volunteer escort, Linda Kocher, told the media that rich women would still be able to access abortions in other states but “poor women will end up in a back alley” for illegal procedures. But anti-abortion campaigner, Pastor Bill Shanks, said it was a “day for celebration”.
Overall, the Supreme Court ruling is expected to mean about 36 million women of reproductive age will lose access to abortion in their states, according to research from Planned Parenthood, a healthcare organisation that provides abortions.
Double View of the Ruling
The decision was met with elation by anti-abortion campaigners outside the Court in Washington, but protests against the ruling were scheduled in more than 100 cities on Friday, June 24, 2022, with more taking place over the weekend. Although abortion is a divisive issue in the US, a recent Pew survey found that 61% of adults admitted that abortion should be legal all or most of the time, while 37% are of the view that it should be illegal all or most of the time.
In San Antonio, Texas, anti-abortion advocate, Tere Harding, said she is working on a security plan in case protesters targeted the crisis pregnancy centre she runs on the outskirts of the city. “Every human life needs to be protected,” she disclosed to the media, while she watched the US President’s address after the ruling. Harding also added that “It represents that we acknowledge the humanity of the unborn”.
According to US President, Joe Biden, said the ruling puts women’s health and lives at risk. “It’s a realisation of an extreme ideology and a tragic error by the Supreme Court,” says Mr. Biden. He said he would work to ensure that state and local officials could not prevent women travelling to have abortions in states where the procedure is legal, and would also protect women’s access to contraception and medication to end pregnancies of up to 10 weeks that is used to treat miscarriages.
Friday’s (June 24, 2022) ruling amounted to a wholesale reversal of the Supreme Court’s own legal precedent, an extremely rare move, and reports suggest it is likely to set up political battles that could divide the nation.
Meanwhile, the governors of West Coast States California, Washington and Oregon vowed to protect patients travelling from other states for an abortion.
In states where opinions on abortion are closely split, such as Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, the legality of the procedure could be determined on an election-by-election basis. In others, the ruling may set off a new round of legal battles, including over whether individuals can go out of state for abortions or order abortion drugs through mail services.
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