Mar 25 2008
The Most Disturbing Search Query Ever
So, trawling through the server access logs, I find that one of our visitors this month happened upon our blog by typing the following into MSN Search:
how to have a self abortion at 4 months
This visitor’s IP address places them in a fairly small town in the middle of Nebraska, 90 miles from the nearest Planned Parenthood center. Nebraska, which enacted the following laws in January of this year:
- The parent of a minor must be notified before an abortion is provided.
- A woman must receive state-directed counseling that includes information designed to discourage her from having an abortion and then wait 24 hours before the procedure is provided.
- Public funding is available for abortion only in cases of life endangerment, rape or incest.
- Abortion is covered in insurance policies for public employees only in cases of life endangerment.
I can understand the third and fourth, though I disagree with them, but the first and second are nothing more than unwarranted meddling in people’s personal lives. As far as I am concerned this just proves what Kara says about middle America and poor sexual health.
In the unlikely event that you should happen to read this, whoever you are, please at least call your local Planned Parenthood office (402-441-3333). Or call a priest or minister. If you are a young woman who needs help with her options, call the American Pregnancy Helpline at 866-942-6466. There is help out there (read: adoption) that doesn’t involve the risk of horrible injury.
I wish we could have offered her something more for her timely search than a review of a foreign-language movie and a discussion of the sexual-political climate in America.
Also, I’d like to add this – it’s not just young women who need help with their options after they become pregnant. Many women who obtain abortions are in long-term relationships (or married) or already have children and are older than our society’s view of “misguided pregnant teenagers.” Just a clarification that these services are meant for every woman – not just the young ones.