Illinois, a state with abortion laws so liberal it is considered an “abortion destination,” may soon have one of its only remaining abortion restrictions lifted if the ACLU has its way. The ACLU, together with Human Rights Watch and some lawmakers, want the Parental Notice of Abortion Act to be overturned. This would allow minors to undergo abortions without their parents’ knowledge.
A recently released report claims that the law requiring parental notification (not consent) causes “real harm” to minors seeking abortions. “The title of our report comes from a quote from a young person I interviewed and it fits this law exactly — most people do voluntarily involve a parent or trusted adult, but, the young people who don’t have those kinds of relationships are the ones this law hurts the most,” Margaret Wurth, lead author of the report, told the Chicago Sun-Times. “For me, the real takeaway is that this violates people’s rights and it causes real harm. It’s a human rights imperative to repeal it.”
Abortion is not and can never be a “human right” because abortion’s intent is to end innocent human life.
READ: Illinois abortionist with unsafe history says state’s ‘dangerous’ parental notification law must end
Wurth further claimed there is “cruelty and humiliation” involved when minors try to obtain abortions. Yet the report also acknowledged that 1,000 minors obtain abortions each year, yet only about 150 of those seek to do so without their parents’ knowledge. “Most often, according to the data presented in our report, young people fear being forced to continue a pregnancy against their own will or being kicked out of the home or cut off financially,” Wurth said. These are clearly abusive circumstances — yet rather than give these young girls more support, and involving police, CPS, or other organizations to get them help, Wurth and other abortion activists would rather these girls merely get abortions, and then go right back to the abusive situations they’re allegedly trying to avoid.
In reality, Americans overwhelmingly support restrictions against abortion, including parental consent laws. And what Wurth fails to acknowledge is that overall, parental notification and consent laws play a huge role in keeping children safe from traffickers and abusers.
Traffickers are known to use abortion facilities like Planned Parenthood when their victims get abortions, because, as one survivor explained, they know Planned Parenthood “[doesn’t] ask any questions.” Abortion itself is frequently used by traffickers to avoid situations like pregnancy, which would prevent their victims from bringing in more income. Parental consent laws wouldn’t further traumatize a teenage trafficking victim; on the contrary, it could be the lifeline that brings her to safety.
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