The city of Somerville, Massachusetts, voted on March 24 to ban pregnancy resource centers (PRCs) on the basis that they are allegedly misleading because they do not provide or promote abortions. According to Tufts Daily, the ordinance is proactive, as there are currently no PRCs in the city. It was promoted by City Councilor-at-Large Kristen Strezo and co-sponsored by the entire city council. Failure to comply with the ordinance will result in a $300 fine.
Strezo praised the ordinance, saying, “[I’m] very proud of the CPC Ordinance as it can make a direct impact on many residents’ lives, ensuring that my constituents have the dignity to make their own medical decisions based on accurate healthcare information. This shows my continued commitment to the protection of abortion rights, access to reproductive health care, and an individual’s right to make reproductive decisions about one’s own body.”
She also alluded to the oft-repeated — but false — claim that PRCs are somehow misleading to women.
“I’m really upset that I still have to fight as hard as I do for reproductive justice and abortion access,” she said. “We know that — in many cases — [PRCs’] intent is disingenuous, and they often will withhold critical information about pregnancy [and] about abortion. In my capacity as a city councilor, we have to make sure that … accurate information is getting out there.”
READ: Report slamming pregnancy centers as a ‘public health danger’ is lacking in facts
Following the ordinance’s passage, Planned Parenthood put out a statement thanking the city council members for their support of “reproductive rights and reproductive justice.”
Calling pregnancy resource centers disingenuous is yet another lie peddled by the abortion industry. It is true that they don’t provide or refer for abortions, but what they offer instead are resources and help that pregnant women will never find inside an abortion facility. Some of their services include private medical consultation, ultrasounds, pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, and STD testing — but unlike abortion facilities, PRCs also offer maternity and baby items and offer referrals for state programs, financial help, housing, legal help, prenatal care, child care, and professional counseling. In 2019, PRCs helped nearly two million women and families in need. Many women have spoken about what a blessing and a help these types of centers were to them — and all at no cost to the families in need.
The abortion industry sees PRCs as a threat because they serve women and babies in crisis and help women choose life instead of abortion, and fewer abortions mean fewer profits. Banning PRCs isn’t helping women in any way — instead, it will serve only to drive more women toward abortion by denying resources that could help those who would otherwise wish to parent their children.
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