Astonishingly, some leaders in our government condone this cycle of harassment and misinformation. According to Legal Momentum, the nation’s oldest legal defense and education fund dedicated to advancing the rights of all women and girls, “CPCs are increasingly receiving federal and state funding for these activities — with dangerous consequences for women’s health and well-being. ... The largest source of government funding for CPCs is federal abstinence-only program grants. This funding has brought inexperienced CPC employees and volunteers into schools to teach abstinence-only programs, replacing trained sexual health educators who had provided comprehensive sexual education.”
Every person, especially a pregnant woman, deserves and needs to have access to accurate, comprehensive information regarding their health and options -- no matter their eventual decision. I urge everyone to support legislation — as absurd as this may sound — challenging CPCs to be honest and upfront in their advertising and information.
Duchy Trachtenberg, a Montgomery County, Md., council member, introduced such legislation, requiring CPCs to provide a verbal disclaimer or post at least one sign in their waiting rooms in English and Spanish explaining the center doesn’t have any medical professionals on staff. The law also requires that women who are or may be pregnant should contact a licensed health care professional. This legislation would not, however, require the CPCs to close down or stop providing services.
Furthermore, the posted sign won’t require any large effort or financial expense. It can be a simple statement printed from a computer.
Terry O’Neill, president of the National Organization for Women, wrote a letter to the editors of the Washington Post: “Health care providers are already required by their oaths to tell their patients the truth, and this is supported by the licensing practices of the state. A doctor asked by a patient for a referral to an adoption service will receive one, and no physician or assistant needs to be told to inform their patients truthfully. The same cannot be said by those set up specifically in pursuit of a political agenda.”
I don’t advocate for abortion nor do I believe that abortion is for everyone; none of the decisions regarding an unplanned pregnancy are easy. I do advocate for accurate, upfront information that helps women make a fully educated decision about all of their options. Make CPCs take off their sheep’s costume and finally tell the whole truth.
Continue Reading: « Previous12
A version of this article appeared in the Aug 24 issue of the Collegiate Times.
Leave a comment 11 Comments Write a letter to the editor
All letters to the editor must include a name, e-mail, daytime phone number and affiliation to Virginia Tech. Affiliation includes: year and major for students; position and department for faculty and staff; current city for alumni and parents.
Interesting how so much of this is unattributed information, written as fact. Where do these supposed "facts" come from? Has the writer ever visited a CPC? It appears no.
Reply to this Top
Ms. Dwyer has a convincing-sounding argument about Pregnancy Care Centers (PCCs), but unfortunately makes statements that appear to be unfounded and more than likely intended to steer women away from hearing about all of their options once they find out they are unexpectedly pregnant. It is not uncommon for PCCs to come up against hostility and opposition from certain organizations and groups, especially because they do not benefit financially from the woman's decision. Hundreds of thousands of women regret their abortions and have wished they knew about centers like these that are dedicated to women just like them. Women and teens everywhere have had high praise for these centers. I invite you to visit your local Center (no need to go undercover - they welcome visitors) and see for yourselves the commendable service they offer. Find out more at www.optionline.org. My hope is for more people to think critically and search out what's true about abortion and how it affects individuals, families, and the next generation. Check out www.afterabortion.org. Just because we may have made mistakes in the past does not mean we need to continue making choices that do not lead us to health, wholeness, and living with respect for every person - especially ourselves. For those who have been through abortion, forgiveness (including the ability to forgive yourself) and healing are available. Abortion hurts women, and it is time that we stand up for true women's rights. Women unquestionably deserve better.
Reply to this Top
CPCs (at least the one I went to for a pregnancy test) don't claim to be medical facilities and they don't do the pregnancy test - they give it to you and you do it and read the answers (at least the one I went to) so no chance of it being "swapped" for a negative test. But then I guess Planned Barrenhood owns the whole city block for wherever they have a clinic. And they've never been less than transparent where, say, statutory rape is concerned. So no worries there or anything. You can say you're not "for abortion" but if the hackles go up whenever someone wants to restrict abortion, I'm not buying it.
Reply to this Top
I would just like to share that I had an abortion when I was 22 and suffered for 19 years afterwards. I, like many others who come to PRCs, did not want to have an abortion and knew that it was wrong to take the life of my pre-born baby. However, due to the circumstances(boyfriend not supportive) and not feeling at all prepared to be a parent forced me into doing something that I knew I would regret. Thanks to my local PRC I received healing through an abortion recovery program. Abortion hurts men and women.PRCs share the truth about abortion, adoption and parenting.
I would encourage everyone reading this to schedule a visit with their local pregancy center to find out exactly what they do and how they present the information. They are honest, open and doing a great service to the communities they serve in without change (and most without ANY funding from the government). I am grateful that there are PRCs established with our communities that truly help women and their families in unplanned pregnacies and treat them with love and the utmost respect.
Reply to this Top
Dear Kathleen,
I'm a 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, BS Psychology. And I have to say that I'm so disappointed to see this article in my University's Collegiate Times. SO disappointed. You've basically taken the bait and word of one side of the argument without taking into consideration the other side, and that, my friend, is bad journalism. I know this, because I have worked in a Crisis Pregnancy Center for almost 10 years. Yes, that's right, I use my education from an excellent public university to reach out to women in unplanned pregnancies at a local Crisis Pregnancy Center. I also have a MA in Counseling.
Blue Ridge Women's Center, based in neighboring city Roanoke, improves the well-being of women and their families through Christian medical clinics specializing in unplanned pregnancy, relationships and reproductive health. Check us out at www.blueridgewoman.org.
If you're interested in getting the whole picture and producing an effort for the Collegiate Times that is truly newsworthy I would be happy to provide you with an interview. My name is Brooke (Lloyd) McGlothlin and I serve as the Director of Clinical Services at Blue Ridge Women's Center in Roanoke, VA.
Reply to this Top
I am the CEO/Executive Director of the Pregnancy Resource Center of the NRV located at 200 North Main Street adjacent to th Virginia Tech campus.I have no idea as to who your reporter, K.Dwyer, is and I would have been very happy to be interviewed by her before she submitted this slanted and erroneous article that appears to be ghost written or modeled by several such articles appearing in other publications. There are no specific references to our local PRC for some unknown reason. The Pregnancy Resource Center of the NRV provides free and confidential medical services such as nurse administered pregnancy tests and obstetrical ultasounds to several hundred women on a yearly basis. We also provide educational programs and material assistanc to mothers/parents in need. All of our staff and nurses are extensively trained according to national standards and guidelines. We offer full disclosure of our services as well as service limitations to clients upon registering with our agency both verbally and in writing. Our post visit surveys are almost universally positive and appreciative in nature. Please be balanced and impartial when publishing articles that demean the valuable services, support and care that the vast majority of PRC's provide to women and men facing unintended pregnancies.
Reply to this Top
I agree - transparency is VITAL, especially when it comes to health care.
Reply to this Top
Agreed - as long as abortion clinics and providers are subject to the same requirements for transparency. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/aug/23/cuccinelli-virginia-regulate-abortion-clinics/
Reply to this Top
Yeah, we all know that Planned Parenthood is transparent.
http://www.youtube.com/user/LiveActionFilms
Just Google "Planned Parenthood Statutory Rape" and read all the links. Planned Parenthood helps child molesters and rapists get away, just so they can make $1,000 on their friggin abortion.
Reply to this Top
Biased reporting once again. I've been employed at a CPC in VA for 10 years. I would never associate with any organization who is guilty of the deception that PRCs have been accused of much less be employed there. It's interesting that NARAL has to send paid interns as fake clients to investigate their claims yet accuse PRCs of deception. Why don't they just interview for free the many women that actually used our services? Why is word of mouth from former clients our #1 referral source? Why do 99% of our exit evals express a positive experience even from women who still plan an abortion? Why not ask women who changed their minds & chose to carry to term how they feel about the info they received? I have. They feel grateful not deceived. Are those who accuse us of deception interested in truth or inhibiting the good work done by PRCs? Consider this. No one has ever suffered serious physical side effects or died as a result of their visit to a PRC. Abortion clinics can't make this claim. Are they really so concerned about women's reproductive rights or just the almighty dollar? Afterall, for each woman who changes her mind about abortion is hundreds of dollars out of the pockets of an abortion clinic.
Top
This is understandable that money makes us disembarrass. But what to do if someone doesn't have money? The only one way is to receive the <a href="http://goodfinance-blog.com/topics/home-loans">home loans</a> and sba loan.
Reply to this Top