Abortion Laws: Who To Contact For Help

Abortion laws vary by state and country, and it's important to understand the specific regulations in your region. To navigate the complex landscape of abortion rights and access, individuals can seek guidance from various organisations and resources. In the United States, the National Abortion Federation operates a toll-free, multilingual hotline that provides information, confidential consultation, and referrals to quality abortion care providers. Additionally, the Repro Legal Helpline offers judgement-free legal assistance to individuals of all ages facing legal questions about abortion. For those seeking abortion services, it is crucial to be aware of the laws and restrictions in their state, as well as nearby states, to ensure they can access the care they need.

National Abortion Hotline

The National Abortion Hotline is a toll-free, multi-lingual service that provides information on abortion provider and financial assistance in the U.S. and Canada. The service is free and confidential, offering support and consultation to anyone, regardless of their individual situation. The hotline is open Monday to Friday from 8 am to 7 pm ET, and on Saturday and Sunday from 8 am to 4 pm ET.

The National Abortion Hotline can provide information on a range of topics, including:

• The different types of abortion procedures, such as medication abortion and suction/aspiration abortion.
• The safety and effectiveness of abortion procedures.
• The emotional and physical impacts of abortion.
• The legality of abortion in different states and how to navigate restrictions.
• Financial assistance and funding options for abortion procedures.
• Information on abortion providers and how to find a clinic.
• Alternatives to abortion, such as adoption or pregnancy care.

In addition to the hotline, the National Abortion Federation also offers a chat feature on its homepage, where users can connect with staff members for further assistance. The organisation also provides a range of resources and information on its website, covering topics such as abortion laws, insurance coverage, and post-abortion care.

The National Abortion Hotline is a valuable resource for individuals seeking information and support regarding abortion. The service is designed to provide accurate and confidential assistance, ensuring that individuals can make informed decisions about their reproductive health. By offering financial assistance and connecting individuals with abortion providers, the hotline helps to improve access to safe and legal abortion services.

State-specific laws

Expanded Access States

These states have protected abortion rights and have implemented additional access to abortion care. These states typically have laws that include public funding for abortions, require abortion coverage in private insurance plans, allow unrestricted access for young people, and ensure protections for clinic safety and access.

Protected States

While abortion is protected by state law in these jurisdictions, there may be some limitations on access to care. This could include requirements for parental notification or consent for minors seeking abortions, or mandatory waiting periods and counseling, which can create barriers to accessing abortion services.

Not Protected States

In these states, abortion may still be accessible, but it is not protected by state law. The future of abortion access in these states is uncertain, and they are at risk of enacting bans or restrictions that would limit abortion access.

Hostile States

Hostile states have expressed a desire to prohibit abortion entirely and are actively working towards that goal. They often have pre-Roe abortion bans that could be revived or are enacting new restrictive legislation. These states typically lack legal protections for abortion providers and patients, creating a hostile environment for those seeking abortion care.

Illegal States

Illegal states have criminalized abortion and enforce strict penalties for violations, such as criminal or civil liability. These states ban abortion outright and prosecute those who perform or assist with abortions. As of October 2024, 13 states fall into this category.

It is important to stay informed about the specific laws in your state, as they can have a significant impact on your rights and access to reproductive healthcare. You can contact local women's health organizations, abortion clinics, or legal aid services to learn more about the laws in your state and seek assistance if needed.

Criminalisation of abortion

The criminalisation of abortion has been a topic of global debate for decades, with strong opinions on both sides of the argument. Criminalisation refers to the legal prohibition of abortion, which varies between countries and states. For example, in June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, allowing states to ban abortion outright, and currently, abortion is illegal in 13 U.S. states.

The criminalisation of abortion creates significant barriers for people seeking abortions, often forcing them to resort to unsafe methods. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the rate of unsafe abortions is four times higher in countries with restrictive abortion laws than in countries where abortion is legal. These unsafe abortions can lead to severe health complications and even death. Additionally, criminalisation disproportionately impacts marginalised communities, such as low-income individuals, refugees, migrants, LGBTIQ+ people, and racialised and Indigenous people, as they often face greater challenges in accessing safe abortion services.

The legal norms and available evidence regarding abortion criminalisation show that it undermines fundamental human rights. International human rights bodies and experts have consistently stated that decriminalising and ensuring access to abortion are necessary to protect these rights, including women's rights to life and health. For instance, the Committee on the Rights of the Child has called on countries to "decriminalise abortion" to safeguard the right to health of adolescent girls.

Despite the absence of an international legal instrument explicitly referencing the right to abortion, the interpretation of international human rights law suggests that criminalising abortion does little to protect life before birth. Data indicates that individuals experiencing unwanted pregnancies will seek access to abortion services regardless of punitive legal measures. As a result, criminalisation often pushes women and girls towards clandestine, unregulated settings, putting their lives and health at risk.

Who to contact about abortion laws

If you are seeking information or support regarding abortion laws, there are several resources available:

• National Abortion Hotline: The National Abortion Federation operates a toll-free, multi-lingual hotline for individuals in the U.S. and Canada. They provide accurate information, confidential consultation, and referrals to quality abortion care providers. The hotline also offers case management services and limited financial assistance for abortion and travel-related expenses.
• Planned Parenthood: Planned Parenthood is a well-known organisation that provides reproductive health services and education. They have a hotline that offers information and support regarding abortion and other related topics.
• Repro Legal Helpline: This helpline provides free and confidential legal assistance related to abortion, pregnancy loss, and birth. They can help with various issues, including judicial bypass, emergency abortion denial, and criminalisation concerns.
• Religious and Spiritual Organisations: Many religious and spiritual organisations, such as the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Faith Aloud, and Catholics for Choice, respect an individual's right to choose and are pro-choice. They can provide support and resources from a faith-based perspective.

Social stigma

Abortion stigma is a set of attitudes and beliefs, conscious or unconscious, that abortion is bad, shameful, or wrong. It is a negative attribute ascribed to women who seek to terminate a pregnancy that marks them, internally or externally, as inferior to ideals of womanhood. Abortion stigma is created by cultural norms and reinforced by policies that harm those who provide and those who receive abortions. It is also informed by unfounded negative characteristics or stereotypes related to abortion services and those who access them.

Abortion stigma has several effects on the quality of abortion care. It leads to poor treatment and repercussions, gatekeeping and obstruction of access, avoiding disclosure, arduous and unnecessary requirements, poor infrastructure and lack of resources, punishment and threats, and a lack of a designated place for abortion services.

Abortion stigma is also linked to other forms of stigma in society, such as stigma around sexuality, intimate partner violence, gender identity, mental health, or alcohol and drug use. It is often experienced in the form of judgment and insensitivity from unsupportive providers, rude gestures from pharmacists, and interrogation of abortion seekers' choices. It can also lead to self-management of abortions, clandestine services, or seeking care from traditional healers.

Abortion stigma can be addressed by sharing stories, normalizing abortion, and elevating safe paths to access. It is important to recognize that abortion is a common and safe medical procedure and that everyone's abortion story is unique.

Reproductive justice

The reproductive justice movement demands that states address social, economic, and political inequalities that prevent people from the most marginalised communities from being able to exercise their sexual and reproductive rights. These rights include the right to control one's fertility and exercise reproductive autonomy, which is particularly important for women, girls, and people who can become pregnant.

Despite this, abortion laws vary across the world, with some countries criminalising the procedure or implementing restrictive laws. In the US, abortion is protected by state law in 21 states and the District of Columbia, while 13 states have made abortion illegal. In California, abortion is legal, safe, and accessible, and residents who believe their right to reproductive healthcare has been violated can file a complaint.

The Center for Reproductive Rights is a global legal advocacy organisation dedicated to advancing reproductive rights as fundamental human rights. They work with local partners to strengthen reproductive health laws and policies in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the United States.

The Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 is another example of legislation aimed at protecting reproductive rights. This Act seeks to protect a person's ability to determine whether to continue or end a pregnancy and a healthcare provider's ability to provide abortion services. It recognises that abortion services are essential to healthcare and that access to these services is central to people's ability to participate equally in the economic and social life of the US.

Overall, reproductive justice seeks to address the social, economic, and political inequalities that prevent marginalised communities from exercising their sexual and reproductive rights, ensuring that all individuals have the power and resources to make decisions about their bodies, health, and communities.

Frequently asked questions