National Abortion Federation Blog: Saporta Reporter

Today I released the following statement in response to the decision by the Mexico Supreme Court to uphold a bill passed by Mexico City’s legislature to legalize abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy:

Illegal abortion is a serious public health issue in Mexico, as it results in the
injury or death of thousands of Mexican women each year. Today’s ruling is a positive step toward addressing this public health crisis, and it is a great victory for the women of Mexico City.

Outlawing abortion does not eliminate abortions: it just forces women to jeopardize their health and even their lives in order to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. As the experience in many other countries has shown, decriminalization of abortion reduces mortality and morbidity among women seeking abortions and thereby improves public health.

Since Mexico City legalized abortion in May 2007, thousands of women have obtained safe legal abortion care at 14 of the capital’s public hospitals. Today’s ruling will ensure that women continue to have access to sexual and reproductive health care services, including abortion.

NAF submitted an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in support of the Mexico City law.

As the professional association of abortion providers in the United States and Canada, NAF sets the standard for quality abortion care through evidence-based Clinical Policy Guidelines. NAF will share our quality guidelines and experience with abortion providers and medical facilities in Mexico City as they work to expand access to abortion care.

Labels: illegal, Mexico

According to an opinion poll released this week, majorities in 17 out of 18 nations surveyed reject the use of criminal penalties such as fines or imprisonment, as a means to prevent abortion.

WorldPublicOpinion.org interviewed 18,465 respondents in 18 geographically and culturally diverse countries representing 59 percent of the world’s population. Respondents were from countries where abortion is legal including the United States and France, and also countries with highly restrictive abortion laws like Mexico, Poland, and South Korea. On average across all 18 countries, 52 percent of respondents favored leaving the matter of abortion to the individual.

“Clearly many governments around the world using criminal penalties to try to prevent abortions are out of step with their publics,” said Steven Kull, director of WorldPublicOpinion.org.

WorldPublicOpinion.org is a collaborative research project of research centers from around the world, managed by the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) at the University of Maryland.

Labels: criminal penalties laws, illegal, Mexico, poll

Last week, the New Mexico House of Representatives passed a unanimous resolution commending federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies on their collaboration, investigation, and quick response in arresting two suspects in connection with arsons and vandalism at abortion and reproductive health clinics in Albuquerque in December 2007. An identical resolution has also been introduced in the state Senate.

We commend the New Mexico legislature for recognizing law enforcement's swift and successful investigation into the arsons and vandalism and apprehending and arresting the suspects. Law enforcement's response should send a clear message that violence against abortion providers and clinics will not be tolerated and that perpetrators of such crimes will be apprehended and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Labels: Mexico, state legislation

On Friday, we released the following statement in response to the arson of the Office of Curtis Boyd, MD, in Albuquerque, NM on Thursday night:

As the professional association of abortion providers, National Abortion Federation (NAF) is extremely concerned about protecting our members from violence. NAF has been tracking incidents of violence and disruption since 1977. In that time, there have been seven murders, 17 attempted murders, 41 bombings, 100 butyric acid attacks, 656 anthrax threats, and 175 arsons including this most recent incident in New Mexico.

We hope that the suspect(s) responsible for this crime will be swiftly apprehended and convicted. The visible prosecution and conviction of anti-abortion criminals who engage in violence have led to a decrease in major acts of violence against abortion providers in recent years. However, last night’s arson is a reminder that we must remain vigilant in protecting women's access to reproductive health care and the safety of the dedicated health care professionals who provide that care.

>Read the full statement.

Labels: access, Mexico, violence

Since Mexico City legalized abortion in May, more than 3,400 women have obtained abortions at 14 of the capital's public hospitals. The availability of safe, legal abortion care has helped reduce the public health concerns and stigma associated with abortion.

"When people think of abortion, they no longer think of a hidden, shameful, illegal, clandestine and expensive procedure that is full of risks," said Marta Lamas, who founded Mexico's leading abortion rights group in 1992.

Illegal abortion is a serious public health issue in Mexico, resulting in the injury or death of thousands of Mexican women. According to the LA Times, more than 3,500 women die from illegal abortions each year in Mexico.

Abortion remains illegal in the rest of Mexico, and abortion opponents have petitioned Mexico’s Supreme Court to have Mexico City's law overturned on constitutional grounds. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on this early next year.

Labels: access, illegal, Mexico

Yesterday the Senate voted 53–41 to overturn the Global Gag Rule. Also known as the Mexico City policy, the Global Gag Rule prohibits international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that receive U.S. government funds from using their own private funds to perform or provide abortions, lobby their own government for a change in abortion laws, conduct public education campaigns about abortion, refer women to safe abortion providers, or even provide medically accurate counseling about abortion to their clients.

Just before the vote, the White House budget office warned that if Congress sent the President a measure that "weakens current federal policies and laws on abortion, he would veto the bill." The Senate vote was short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a Presidential veto.

President Reagan instituted the Global Gag Rule in 1984. President Clinton rescinded the policy, but President Bush re-imposed this punitive policy on his first business day in office in 2001.

Labels: Mexico

Here is the press release we issued today:

Washington, DC - Vicki Saporta, President and CEO of the National Abortion Federation (NAF), released the following statement today praising the government of Mexico City for moving forward with a law requiring city hospitals to provide abortion services in the first trimester and allowing the establishment of private abortion clinics:

Women in Mexico City and throughout Mexico deserve to have access to a full range of safe reproductive health care options. We know from experience that access to safe, legal abortion care protects the health and saves the lives of women. No longer will women in Mexico City have to jeopardize their lives and health by self inducing or seeking a back alley, illegal procedure.

As the professional association of abortion providers in the United States and Canada, NAF has worked for 30 years to ensure the safety and accessibility of abortion care for women. We set the standards for quality abortion care in North America and conduct continuing medical education to ensure that providers are able to offer the highest quality care.

NAF plans to share our quality guidelines and experience with abortion providers and medical facilities in Mexico City. Several of our members have already expressed an interest in assisting colleagues in Mexico to begin offering quality care.

Labels: access, Mexico

Mexico City legislators are debating a bill that would legalize abortion during the first trimester of pregnancy. Abortion is currently permitted only in cases of rape or life endangerment in this predominantly Roman Catholic city. Bill supporters say these restrictions force women to seek abortions outside the law. Mexican women often travel to the U.S. to obtain abortion care, but many low-income women who cannot afford this option resort to dangerous back-alley or self-induced procedures. This bill would be the first of its kind in Mexico City, and could be approved within the coming months.

Labels: Mexico

Today NAF was part of an Associated Press story on the South Dakota abortion ban.

The Argus Leader reports that South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds is trying to distance himself from the abortion ban, which he signed into law yesterday.

According to this second Associated Press story, Governor Rounds also says that if the abortion ban is put on the ballot this fall, he will not take a position on it.

Read columnist Molly Ivin’s take on the South Dakota ban.

Reuters reports that many women in Mexico who become pregnant through sexual assault are denied abortions, even though it is legal for rape survivors to terminate an unintended pregnancy.

Labels: abortion bans, ballot initiatives, Mexico, South Dakota, state legislation