|
Oppose Illinois Parental Notification Law
You can take action on this alert by reading the information below and following the
directions at the bottom.
Abortion Access
The injunction on the Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act was lifted by the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals on July 14, 2009.
Under the law, all young women will be required to notify a parent, grandparent, step-parent living in the household, or legal guardian at least 48 hours before obtaining an abortion. Alternatively, a young women can seek a judicial bypass by asking permission from a judge to receive an abortion without parental notification.
While parental involvement laws are intended to protect young women, they sometimes have the opposite effect, as not all adolescents are able to safely involve their parents or legal guardian in their decision to terminate a pregnancy. Parental involvement laws do not prevent potentially volatile and dangerous situations from arising once a young woman informs a family member of her intent to seek an abortion.
Parental notification puts the health of young women at risk. Major medical and public health associations such as the American Medical Association, American Public Health Association, and Society for Adolescent Medicine agree that parental involvement laws do not, in fact, protect young people. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that "mandating parental notification does not achieve the intended benefit of promoting family communication, but it does increase the risk of harm to the adolescent by delaying access to appropriate care."
It's the most vulnerable young women -- those with physically or emotionally abusive parents or who face threats of homelessness -- who will be impacted by the Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act.
Please contact Governor Pat Quinn, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, and your members of the Illinois General Assembly to let them know you oppose the law.
Your message will be sent to each of the following targets:
Attorney General Lisa Madigan
Governor
Your State Representative
Your State Senator
A sample message appears below, which you may edit before sending.
Oppose Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act
Dear Attorney General Madigan,
The Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act poses great risk to the most vulnerable youth. While the law is intended to protect young women, it can have the opposite effect, as not all adolescents are able to safely involve their parents or legal guardian in their decision to terminate a pregnancy.
Parental notification puts the health of young women at risk. A 2009 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that young women are more likely to obtain second trimester abortions when parental involvement laws are in effect. While we know that abortion is among the safest surgical procedures for women, the risk of complications increases as a pregnancy progresses.
Major medical and public health associations such as the American Medical Association, American Public Health Association, and Society for Adolescent Medicine agree that parental involvement laws do not, in fact, protect young people. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that "mandating parental notification does not achieve the intended benefit of promoting family communication, but it does increase the risk of harm to the adolescent by delaying access to appropriate care."
Furthermore, Illinois law already allows youth to make their own decisions about a range of sexual health services, including testing and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, contraception, and prenatal care without parental consent.
It's the most vulnerable young women -- those with physically or emotionally abusive parents or who face threats of homelessness -- who will be impacted by this law. We can't legislate good family dynamics. Parental involvement laws do not prevent potentially volatile and dangerous situations from arising once a young woman informs a family member of her intent to seek an abortion.
I urge you to oppose this law and protect Illinois' young women. Your name and address here
|
This Action Alert Campaign is Closed.
|
