Political pundits seem to think elections are about abortion or the economy. It never seems to occur to them that the two are inextricably linked.
The abortion industry relies, and many argue preys, on economically struggling communities. Consider that nearly 44% of Planned Parenthood affiliates’ revenue this past year was from taxpayer dollars — public programs that are targeted at low-income communities.
Women often seek abortions for economic reasons. This is statistically substantiated, as higher abortion rates are tied to economic depressions and recessions, as well as to lower income levels. After a long-term decline in the abortion rate, during the COVID-19 pandemic, it actually reversed, and the rate increased.
Pregnant women under financial pressure fear they can’t afford to raise their child, that their work (and thus their income) would be compromised by doing so or that they would otherwise risk their financial independence by bringing a child into the picture. So they often choose to end the life of the child in their womb.
For these women, abortion is a tragedy, not a choice. In our experience, 76% of our abortion-determined clients say they would actually prefer to parent if their circumstances were different. Human Coalition helps them change their circumstances, offering a holistic range of services from financial and housing assistance to education and job training. Our “continuum of care” model connects vulnerable women to local resources that help provide for their tangible needs.
Today, amid historic levels of inflation, everyday goods, including shelter and gas, are more difficult to afford than they’ve been in 40 years. And women bear the brunt of the downturn, as they historically do.
Already vulnerable women are struggling more than they can ever remember. Our economy is forcing more women into sudden financial vulnerability. It is not easy in the best circumstances to accommodate an unexpected pregnancy, and now, it is even harder.
Contrary to the mainstream media’s incessant talking points, the pro-life movement deeply understands the connection between women’s needs and abortion. They became experts at caring for mothers’ complex challenges by doing something abortionists, who claim to care for women, have never done — serving them for decades with charitable care.
That’s why the pro-life movement developed a robust network of pregnancy resource centers. There are more than 3,000 such centers across the U.S. delivering more than $266 million annually on average in estimated material and programmatic support to vulnerable women and families. Unlike general social service programs, this network is designed specifically for pregnant women in need. And it is unmatched at serving them during this economic crisis.
It’s not only the pro-life movement working to holistically raise the bar for women in need. Fourteen states have variations of alternatives to abortion programs providing tangible needs for women. Abortion supporters unanimously oppose these programs. They want there to be only one option for women in need: abortion. Not to care for women. Not to leave women better than when they found them. Not to alleviate long-term challenges they face in their lives. Women leave their clinics and return to the struggles that brought them in. Meanwhile, they advocate profitability and neglect under the guise of care. What’s worse, they oppose those working tirelessly to serve women.
If the abortion industry actually wanted to help women, it would champion programs that provide resources instead of voting against them. It would turn abortion clinics into affordable gynecological care for low-income women instead of closing, as abortions make up more than 96% of Planned Parenthood’s services. It would support, not violently vandalize, pro-life centers. It would stop working to shut them down.
Vice President Kamala Harris even praised activist state attorneys general for “taking on” these essential resource providers, without ever noting the violence they consistently endure at the hands of pro-abortion activists.
I’m forced to conclude that the real motive abortion advocates have for undermining pregnancy resource centers, particularly in the throes of economic recession, is the growth of the abortion industry. Research indicates that revoking material support for vulnerable women and families is likely to spike abortion rates: “[Further] restriction on public assistance to families could contribute to a continued increase in abortions among the most disadvantaged women.” And don’t take my word for it — Planned Parenthood’s most recent annual report shows that it performed its highest-recorded number of abortions in 2019 and 2020, as the pandemic began.
The data is in: Abortionists will do anything to women, except care for them.
It is hypocritical to paint yourself as an advocate for vulnerable women while sabotaging one of their only real economic allies. And it’s cruel to encourage them to abort the children they fear they can’t support. But then again, what do we expect from an industry whose top commodity is women in need and the lives of their children?
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Chelsey Youman is the national legislative advisor with Human Coalition Action. She serves the pro-life coalition by advocating pro-life policies and jurisprudence and mobilizing local grassroots efforts to strengthen the pro-life movement and its footprint.
