Author Spotlight
Missouri resident and thirteen-year-old Jane Doe* is a rape victim. As she copes with the trauma of the horrid crime committed against her, she also learns that she’s carrying the child of her rapist and doesn’t have the option of abortion. That is unless, she seeks medical care from Planned Parenthood and travels to Kansas for an abortion.
But, because Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey filed a lawsuit against Planned Parenthood in February, she may no longer have access to that option.
This isn’t just a hypothetical situation. This is the reality for anyone seeking an abortion in Missouri.
Despite Missouri’s political views on abortion, the Planned Parenthood should still be allowed to inform minors that they can travel across the state line to get an abortion. Laws and funding need to be put towards protecting minors against rape and incest and preventing teen preganancy rather than attacking the organization that helps people in these situations.
Abortions are banned in Missouri under House Bill 126 with the exceptions to save the life of the pregnant person or prevent serious risks to physical health — that’s it. But they remain legal in Kansas for up to 20 weeks post-fertilization. In the past four years, there has been an uptick of people traveling from Missouri to get abortions according to Planned Parenthood.
Bailey claims that Planned Parenthood has been illegally “trafficking” minors across the state line to get an abortion in Kansas with the use of fake doctors notes. Trafficking is the transportation of people with the aim of exploiting the person. His aim is to get a court order to prevent this problem — which has no real evidence — and ultimately eliminate Planned Parenthood in Missouri.
There is no evidence that Planned Parenthood has been exploiting patients, rather they provide minors with all options concerning their health care.
Not to mention, this entire lawsuit was based on false evidence from a historically unreliable source, Project Veritas, a far-right activist group, according to AP news. The group released a video depicting Planned Parenthood talking to the uncle of a hypothetical thirteen-year-old patient about getting an abortion but not informing the parents. Project Veritas has admitted to releasing false information in the past and is known for their extremely edited videos. Bailey plans to take down a national organization off of false evidence and personal opinion alone.
Bailey claims this lawsuit is “the beginning of the end for Planned Parenthood in the State of Missouri,” but in reality, he’s blindly making accusations. This is a last ditch attempt to eliminate Planned Parenthood in Missouri after years of the state legislature trying and failing.
Also, abortions aren’t the only service the organization offers. They have treatment for STDs, birth control, pregnancy care and information on all topics concerning sexual health. In the 2023 annual report, Planned Parenthood served 2.05 million patients and over 410,000 pap tests and breast cancer exams. If the goal is to eliminate a source of health care for lower income families, job well done.
To end an organization and remove a healthcare source from an entire state based on false information is ridiculous. Missouri residents shouldn’t have to pay the price for the government’s personal views on abortions.
If Planned Parenthood were to be illegally transporting minors across state lines to get abortions, no physician in Kansas would perform the procedure without parental consent or a court order. And Planned Parenthood doesn’t even directly transport patients according to Planned Parenthood Great Plains CEO Emily Whales in an interview with the Associated Press — leaving Bailey’s claim filled with holes and desperation.
For Bailey to base an entire lawsuit and full fledged investigation based on a most likely fake video about a fake person shows just how desperate the Missouri government is to end planned parenthood.
And for what? The only reason for this lawsuit and previous legal actions is that Planned Parenthood provides abortions in other states where it is legal. These legal actions only aim to further Missori’s political stance on abortions, not protect young women.
In April, another attempt was made to take down Planned Parenthood when a bill was proposed to kick the organization off of Medicaid to defund them. On Aug. 26, Planned Parenthood filed legal challenges against this law.
If the state truly wanted to protect young females, the efforts and the money used to eliminate Planned Parenthood would be put into preventing cases of rape and incest and providing support to victims — the true issue here.
Of reported cases 21.4% of women reported attempted or completed rape in their lifetime according to World Population Review. If such a large percentage of the female population experiences a horrible crime that could lead to pregnancy, then why would Missouri want to defund the primary organization that can help with pregnancy care?
While abortions aren’t legal in Missouri patients should at least have access to reasonably priced prenatal care available to them and should be apprized of all of their options concerning their health — including traveling to Kansas for an abortion.
If a woman wants to take her body across state line to receive the medical treatment that is best for her physically and mentally, that is her choice. Laws preventing Planned Parenthood from informing patients of these options are not only wrong but a violation of the First Amendment right to freedom of speech.
Protect victims of rape rather than restricting and defunding the organization that will provide them care. Rather than coming up with every possible lawsuit and proposed law to remove Planned Parenthood in Missouri, the Missouri government needs to focus on the problem at hand — young people being raped and impregnated.
Leave a Reply