Anti-Abortion Violence and Disruption is on the Rise

 

Tomorrow is the fourth anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. Brittany Fonteno, President and CEO of the National Abortion Federation (NAF) and the National Abortion Hotline, sits down to talk with us about NAF’s new report, which shows a marked uptick in anti-abortion violence in the years since Roe’s overturning.

The Roe decision came down in 1973. NAF was formed in 1977 and began tracking violence and disruption against independent abortion providers, Planned Parenthood affiliates, hospitals, and individual providers that very same year. The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act was passed on bipartisan lines in 1994 to combat harassment, violence, blockading, and threats in front of abortion clinics. But in his first few weeks in office this term, Trump pardoned nearly two dozen anti-abortion extremists and has set aside a $2 billion fund-- partly to protect those who violate the FACE Act-- from legal consequences.

There is still in-person harassment outside of clinics, but rates of online harassment, death threats to providers, and harassment rooted in racism and xenophobia have skyrocketed in recent years.

LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE

National Abortion Federation on Facebook
National Abortion Federation on Instagram
NAF 2025 Violence & Disruption Report
Saving FACE: What to Know About The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act
The President’s Slush Fund: A Gift to the Anti-Abortion Movement and a Blow to Our Democracy

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Follow the National Abortion Federation on Facebook and Instagram.

Find the full NAF 2025 Violence & Disruption Report here.


Vote your values and your conscience. Until then, be active in your communities. While the federal government has stepped back from enforcing the FACE Act, states can enforce FACE civilly. Reach out to your state representatives and stress the importance of the act’s civil enforcement.

Reach out to your local abortion fund and figure out ways to get involved, whether that’s volunteering, donating, or something else.

Transcript

Jennie: Welcome to rePROs Fight Back, a podcast on all things related to sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice. [music intro]

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