Battle Simmers In Right To Not Tell
By Jessica Ablamsky and Rebecca Sesny
New York City has earned the ignoble title of “Abortion Capital of America,” according to Chris Slattery, President of EMC Frontline Pregnancy Centers, a network of pro-life, limited service pregnancy centers whose goal is to convince women that abortion is not an option.
Known as a crisis pregnancy center, EMC, and other organizations like it, operate throughout the borough, serving thousands of women every year.
Critics charge that crisis pregnancy centers use deceptive advertising to hide their pro-choice agenda and offer inaccurate information to women who are seeking unbiased medical advice.
Legislation recently introduced by Speaker Christine Quinn and Councilwoman Jessica Lappin (D-Manhattan) would require signs posted on their advertisements, entryway, waiting room and Web site that they do not provide abortions, FDA approved contraception or referrals for those services.
It would also require signage if there are not licensed medical professionals at the center, and would extend personal and health-related confidentiality to clients.
“By requiring these centers to clearly state their available services, women can make a more informed decision on the services they seek,” Quinn said. “Nobody has the right to prevent a woman from taking care of her health.”
Support for the legislation is not universal among the Council. Standing firmly behind EMC, and other organizations like it, is Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone).
“The requirements violate the First Amendment and impose an “abortion first” mentality on New York City, already the abortion capital of America,” Halloran said. “This regulation would require them to list services they do not offer – an absurd law that does not apply to any other business or organization in New York.”
Operating with only one fulltime employee at locations in Astoria and Flushing, crisis pregnancy center A Bridge to Life offers anti-abortion counseling, baby supplies for low-income mothers, free pregnancy tests and referrals for adoption, post-abortion counseling and temporary shelters.
The lobby on a Wednesday is full of women with young children coming in as early as 10 a.m. to the Flushing location to receive material assistance. “The need is great,” said Virginia Gallo, Director of Material Assistance, “I come in early to try to get a jump, but was you can see [the lobby is full].”
Volunteers spend their time sorting through donations of clothing, making care packages for the mothers when they leave the hospital and assisting the mothers and children when they stop by to receive clothing and other materials.
Every week, Mary Boyd volunteers her time to knit sweaters for children born to mothers who cannot afford to care for them. Turning out one new sweater a week, Boyd makes sure that the care packages given to new mothers by Bridge To Life have her personal touch.
So far this year, the organization has counseled 20-30 women with crisis pregnancies and gave donations to about 4,000 women and families, said Executive Director Marcy Sarosick.
“We counsel them that this is a permanent solution to a temporary problem, and that terminating the baby is not an option,” she said. “We do everything we can to convince a woman to carry a baby to term.”
Counselors go through a weekend-long course at The Life center of Long Island. Sarosick is worried that, if the legislation were passed, that they would lose potential clients who would otherwise seek their counsel. “That’s what we are afraid of,” she said. “We would lose that baby.”
Ask NARAL Pro-Choice NY, and that very concern proves its point, said Samantha Levine, a spokeswoman.
According to an investigation by NARAL of crisis pregnancy centers in the City, 75 percent did not disclose their pro-life agenda on their Web site, 89 percent gave out incorrect information about potential complications from abortion and 100 percent either gave no information about contraception or inaccurate information.
Levine is confident that City Council will approve the legislation.
“I think it has definite support among New Yorkers,” she said.
Reach Reporter Jessica Ablamsky at jablamsky@queenstribune.com or (718) 357-7400, Ext. 124.