I go to a Catholic college, and there is, understandably, a lot of 'pro-life' rhetoric and 'pro-life' events. I don't have a problem with this. I understand what I signed up for when I came here. In fact, though I am a staunch feminist, I have some moral questions myself when it comes to abortion (though not of the religious variety). I know, however, that the issue is one of immense ethical complexity, and it irks me to no end when people fail to present the many shades of gray in the abortion debate. This goes for 'pro-choice'-ers as well (sorry, but I feel all abortion terminology is loaded, hence the quotes- not intending any disrespect). However, we have virtually no 'pro-choice' contingency on campus, partly because religion often seems the only force against apathy here, and partly because we are not ALLOWED to have a 'pro-choice' club. In my not-so-humble opinion, it's a university's responsibility to promote discussion; a 'pro-choice' club would not necessarily raise money for the cause, but would provide a necessary counter-argument to the 'pro-life' line. This school cannot be a great Catholic university unless it is first a great university, and stifling discussion precludes that.
This is why I often find myself speaking up for the 'pro-choice' side of the debate; I want some responsible discourse here on campus. Recently, the (male) president of the College Republicans wrote an opinions article in the paper titled, "Obama's Fatal Stance," about -you guessed it- Obama and abortion. Some of the assertions he makes are specious at best and, at worst, down-right lies. I suspect that the latter is the case. For example, he makes the ridiculous argument that legally allowing abortions increases their number. I would like to write a letter to the editor, or perhaps write a response article, refuting some of these inaccuracies. Could anyone direct me to some impartial sites with abortion statistics, especially ones about foreign aid to family planning organizations? I really want to create a responsible dialogue.
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Is it really ridiculous to argue that "legally allowing abortions increases their number"? I don't know the statistics either, but it seems pretty likely that if abortion was illegal (and harder to obtain) some number, large or small, would be tipped in their decision from abortion to not abortion. Perhaps this is wrong, maybe every woman who has an abortion legally would seek and obtain an illegal abortion if it were outlawed, but that hardly seems prima facie true.
Obviously outlawing abortion 1. fails to prevent ALL abortions and 2. has hideous side effects. Even though I think abortion is very very wrong, these considerations make me hesitant to support a legal ban. But is it really absurd to think that the number of abortions would be reduced AT ALL if it were criminalized?
The reason the abortion rate has nothing to do with whether or not it's legal is because women don't get abortions because it's legal. They get abortions because they have unintended, unwanted, and/or unhealthy pregnancies. Illegal abortion doesn't make a pregnancy any more intended, wanted, or healthy.
Others have suggested the Guttmacher Institute. If you write an editorial, make sure to mention that it's part of Planned Parenthood but that pro-life organizations often site that organization in their writings.
"The reason the abortion rate has nothing to do with whether or not it's legal is because women don't get abortions because it's legal. They get abortions because they have unintended, unwanted, and/or unhealthy pregnancies. Illegal abortion doesn't make a pregnancy any more intended, wanted, or healthy."
If unwanted or unhealthy pregnancy, then abortion? I had no idea it was that simple a calculation/decision.
When you think that you are fighting to end the mass murder of innocent children who are just as inherently valuable as any walking thinking adult, it would be irresponsible not to use every faculty to try to end that atrocity.
The problem isn't meaningful dialogue about abortion with religious people. Their starting point is fundamentally flawed. You have to ditch the religion before you can realize the meaninglessness of human life absent personhood. As long as they think that God puts a valuable soul in ever fetus, you're not going to make any headway.
The most efficient in-world way to fight pro-life religious people is pointing out that not one place in the fucking bible does God talk about abortion explicitly. And the places when he talks about pregnancy and accidental abortion, He certainly doesn't value fetus's as much as a whole person.
Check out Exodus 21:22.
If you compare countries with legalized abortion to countries without legalized abortion (as in, U.S. and Venezuela,) the abortion rate is comparable. The only difference is that women die.
Sorry, my first comment was in reply to Aleks.
Anyway, to answer your question. This is, in my opinion, the best reproductive health statistics site.
http://www.guttmacher.org/
"In my not-so-humble opinion, it's a university's responsibility to promote discussion...This school cannot be a great Catholic university unless it is first a great university, and stifling discussion precludes that."
I went to a peer health education conference at a Catholic university (a prestigious one at that), and there were absolutely NO programs given on sexual health. NONE. Seriously, we're working with university students here; sexual health is our bread and butter. Needless to say, I was not happy about it.
So yes, in theory, a university should foster all sides of a discussion. The fact is, Catholic universities often don't.
Do you think less non-Catholic students would attend if they knew this?
Astrophilia already pointed out Guttmacher, and I would point you towards Kaiser Family Foundation, Advocates for Youth, and Americans for UNFPA.
Sometimes there are sneaky ways to do pro-choice organizing on Catholic campuses ... is there a feminist club? Can you make friends with someone in the student activities office? It was through these two routes that I got two pro-choice speakers on campus during my tenure at a Catholic college.
For more on religion and choice, check out the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice and (my fav) Catholics for Choice.
aleks: I'm sure there is some reduction in abortion, but I doubt it's significant enough to counter the damage done to women by illegal abortions. There are plenty of arguments against abortion, but I'm not convinced that this is one of them. I guess it's important that I clarify my point.
doubleb: If I were anti-abortion, I know that I would only use legitimate arguments against it, and not muddle the facts like so many 'pro-life'-ers do. I'd like to raise the level of dialogue by holding them factually responsible for what they say. I have no intention to try to dissuade religious 'pro-life'-ers of their beliefs, because I'm not sure it's possible, but I do want to present the newspapers' readers with accurate statistics so they can make their own informed decisions. If 'pro-life' activists want to use a(n unsupportable) religious argument, then fine. I just don't want to hear them using questionable assertions about statistics without any sort of clarification.
Astrophilia: Thank you!!
K.Rae: I know I probably would not have attended had I known what I do now. OK, full disclosure: I go to Fordham. They present themselves as a balanced institution, where religion is available if you want it. Mostly this is true, but there are several glaring instances where it is not. Prohibiting a pro-choice club is one, refusing to fund the vagina monologues is another, disdainfully supporting the gay rights club is a third. This was not my first choice. I wanted a small liberal arts school in the city, and I wanted The New School over Fordham. Unfortunately, my parents didn't want me going to a 'hippie' school, and they have the money. I reluctantly settled on Fordham, thinking maybe it wouldn't be so bad. It isn't, but it sure as hell is frustrating sometimes.
Johanna: Thank you, too. There's a loose women's organization based around the women's studies major. I'm involved with their production of an Eve Ensler play this year (not the Vag Mons this time), and I'm going to talk to them about organizing some unofficial counter-protests during pro-life week.
"aleks: I'm sure there is some reduction in abortion, but I doubt it's significant enough to counter the damage done to women by illegal abortions. There are plenty of arguments against abortion, but I'm not convinced that this is one of them. I guess it's important that I clarify my point."
I happen to agree with you there, which is why although I think abortion is incredibly and unequivocally wrong (only excepting to save the LIFE of the mother) I favor unwanted pregnancy prevention and adoption policies over an actual legal prohibition. But I'm not a Catholic institution, I'm free to be pragmatic. Since you agree that prohibition does reduce abortion *somewhat*, why do you call it "ridiculous" for he (male) president of the College Republicans to argue - exactly that?
Guttmacher is definitely the place for reliable, exhaustively researched abortion statistics. You can even create your own charts comparing different variables. The National Abortion Federation, at www.prochoice.org, also offers some excellent, comprehensive statistics. (full dlisclosure, I interned there this summer).
Guttmacher.org
Sorry, I didn't have time to post more before. Abortions go up in places where it is illegal, because outlawing abortion always goes hand in hand with reducing access to other reproductive health, including birth control.
Guttmacher has some great statistics on this. It was proven in Romania and several South and Central American countries. Outlawing abortion increases abortion rates, most of which are dangerous and all of which are illegal. Also, mortality rates go up for women. Complications from illegal abortions add up to 1/3 the maternal mortality rate in those countries. Many of these women are already mothers, and their children are 4 x more likely to die with their mothers dead.
I don't care if you put "pro life" or "pro choice" in quotes, frankly. Outlawing abortion is not pro life, no matter the syntax.
From your post I'm assuming you're at Rose Hill - you might want to check things out at Lincoln Center, where things are definitely more left-leaning. I think there was a pro-life club that lasted about one semester, and other than that I was never confronted with it.
Also as a former president, I'd say - definitely check out ISIS (LC's feminist group!) They've got tons going on, got student activities to fund a V-Day production last year (Memory, Monologue, Rant, and a Prayer, although Vagina Monologues still went through academic departments). email the ladies - isisfordham@gmail.com !