The Vital Role Of Independent Abortion Providers

In this episode of Wine, Women, and Revolution (The Socialist Podcast) Heather interviews Roxanne Sutocky the Director of Community Engagement at the Cherry Hill Women’s Center. Cherry Hill Women’s Center is an independent abortion provider located in Cherry Hill, NJ. Independent Abortion Clinics The Women’s Center network is a group of independent abortion clinics serving...

In this episode of Wine, Women, and Revolution (The Socialist Podcast) Heather interviews Roxanne Sutocky the Director of Community Engagement at the Cherry Hill Women’s Center. Cherry Hill Women’s Center is an independent abortion provider located in Cherry Hill, NJ.

Independent Abortion Clinics

The Women’s Center network is a group of independent abortion clinics serving NJ, Philadelphia, Georgia, and Connecticut. They are also members of the National Abortion Federation Network and The Abortion Care Network.

Independent abortion providers are different from healthcare providers like Planned Parenthood or your local OBGYN. Planned Parenthood offers a comprehensive range of health care services based on the needs of the community they serve. Independent abortion clinics generally specialize in abortion care. More highly technical as well as 2nd or 3rd term abortions are usually provided at independent clinics because of their high level of specialization. Because of their highly specialized services, they are often the target of anti-abortion extremists and require an increased level of security and protections.

Chasing The Fee

Most abortions are preformed in the first trimester. Those preformed later in pregnancy often have mitigating circumstances like fetal abnormality or are women who are the victims of limited abortion access. As the anti-abortion extremists make services harder to access, it pushes women to have abortions later in pregnancy. They are often victims of “chasing the fee” and in the process of saving up money to have an abortion are forced later into the pregnancy, which is an even higher fee.

60% of all abortions are preformed at independent abortion clinics although they only represent 25% of the facilities offering abortion care in the country.  In a survey in 2014, the Guttmacher Institute found 33% of New Jersey counties had no clinics to provide abortion services. 23% of New Jersey women live in those counties.

Only 1% of abortions are provided at OBGYN offices for a number of reasons. Many assume they could just visit their regular OBGYN is they needed abortion services but most do not provide abortions. This shows how vital independent providers are.

Attacks on Women’s Health

Women’s Health rights are under attack across the country. Activists are mobilizing to stop the appointment of Kavanauh to the supreme court. Visit #StopKavanauh for more info. The cases that could be used to overturn Roe are already in courts. Extremists are putting in 6-week abortion bans, so before most women would even know they are pregnant, abortions would be banned.

Funding is one of the main ways to keep abortion accessible to women.  New Jersey is one of the few states that opt in to use state funds to provide abortion services through Medicaid.  Many women are locked out of funding because their state chooses not to participate.  Undocumented workers in NJ are prevented from using that state funding though, so additional funding is needed.

Funding

In NJ there is a funding source called The New Jersey Abortion Access Fund. They provide grants to women seeking funding for their services. To support that fund you can participate in the Taco or Beer Challenge. Take of photo or video of yourself enjoying a taco or beer and challenge your friends to donate to the NJ Abortion Access Fund.

At the Cherry Hill Women’s Center, most days there are anti-abortion protesters outside the clinic, some days 30 or 40 extremists show up. The clinic enlists the help of volunteer escorts to help women access the services they need. They provide a friendly face to women and shield them from the assholery of the protesters. They also fight back against the stigma of abortion care, by proudly wearing shirts and vests supporting women’s rights. If you want to volunteer to be an escort you can fill out an application of the women’s center website. The next training with be Sept 27th.

Remember to hug your local abortion provider and thank them for their work.

Follow The Women’s Centers on Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/cherryhillwomenscenter/  Insta: @thewomenscenters Twitter: @womenscenters

Visit us at www.thewomenscenters.com/take-action  to learn more about donating, volunteering, and more.

Read about New Jersey Abortion Access Fund and Donate for Taco or Beer Challenge: www.njaaf.weebly.com

To learn more about Fake Women’s Health Centers, people can check out www.exposefakeclinics.com

To hear more about historic attacks on women’s rights check out our episode about the American Plan here

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