As a clinic escort, I witnessed the obstacles people seeking care encountered. We hold a 2 hour escort training class on site at a clinic once or twice each month. Mark Houck, an anti-abortion advocate who was charged by the U. The ideological divide over abortion access takes the shape of a black fence surrounding the Fairview Heights Planned Parenthood Clinic — 15 miles from the Illinois-Missouri border. S. We know that clinic escorting is not for everyone, and that’s okay! There are many ways to support abortion access! We ask that folks interested in volunteering as a clinic. ” on the indictment), was familiar with Houck because the two crossed paths at the Philadelphia abortion clinic many times previously. We educate local government and the general public about the challenges faced by those seeking. 13, 2021. Prior to the abortion ban, volunteer escorts in orange vests waited outside EMW Women’s Surgical Center to help patients get past anti-abortion protesters who regularly gathered at the clinic. in Philadelphia on Oct. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania with a FACE Act violation for shoving a 72-year-old clinic volunteer escort but found not guilty, testified he believes he was persecuted because law enforcement officers for arresting Houck at his home, in. In the first three months of 2022, our volunteer clinic escorts have filled 100+ shifts at the two independent abortion clinics in the Twin Cities, helping patients access healthcare free from intimidation, harassment, and shame. We are a volunteer run and led abortion support collective based in Portland, OR and serving the Portland/Vancouver area. during a clash outside an abortion clinic, Life. On May 17, 2021, the U. Less than two weeks after Florida fined a local abortion clinic $193,000 for breaking state law, the clinic’s volunteer escorts have crowdfunded two-thirds of the bill. The jury deciding the fate of Mark Houck was "deadlocked" after two-and-a-half hours of deliberation Friday in a case that could see the pro-life advocate imprisoned for up to 11 years if found guilty of a federal violation for pushing an abortion clinic escort in a verbal dispute. Donna Windsor, a leader with the Pro-choice Action League and a volunteer escort at the clinic, said she and others have collected signatures at the clinic, which also serves as a dropoff point. The exception is Nantucket, an hour ferry ride from the mainland, where Nantucket Cottage Hospital offers. Volunteer escorts and others stand outside the Red River Women’s Clinic in Moorhead, Minn. But, the volunteer. volunteer escorts who often witness and report trespassing and other incidents outside of someEscorts don't engage with protesters, said Catherine Conlan, a longtime clinic volunteer, but people still find the content compelling. 23, 2022, on federal charges for allegedly physically assaulting a volunteer escort at a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Philadelphia in. Many clinic escort programs–volunteers at an abortion clinic to help guide patients. David Gunn was fatally shot, and in a separate incident, Dr. Available Positions (by area): All Areas. 10, 2022. , posted. After I witnessed a deadly abortion clinic attack 26 years ago, I now volunteer to escort women past protesters into health clinics. Wade, and some predict things will only get worse. S. On a Thursday morning in late June, about a dozen men and women in bright orange vests bearing the words “clinic escort volunteer” line the streets parallel to the EMW Women’s Surgical Center in Louisville, Kentucky. Abortion clinic volunteers brave both risks of violence and invasion of privacy when working at clinics. The Kintnersville, Pa. The Kintnersville, Pa. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania with a FACE Act violation for shoving a 72-year-old clinic volunteer escort but found not guilty, testified he believes he was persecuted. temporarily. This is their preferred terminology, rather than the label of “protesters” the clinic and escorts use. "If you call law enforcement, as I did several times when I was a clinic escort, they show up and they just think this is a matter beyond them," Rankin said. 10, 2022. Already when someone volunteers, they give their blood type in case of an emergency, she said. Join our Fundraising Event Committee to help us raise money directly for women seeking abortion care (from New Jersey and from other states) 3. Less than 12 hours after Florida Gov. Some pray, sing or hold posters with. Abortion clinic escorts are volunteers who offer to walk patients and their loved ones past protesters as they enter a clinic. I was a volunteer patient escort at Planned Parenthood of the Heartland in Lincoln, Neb. There are similar patient escort groups around the country. 2021, a volunteer escort at EMW Women’s Surgical Center in Louisville, Kentucky, saw a police officer—in uniform and carrying his gun—protesting outside the clinic. The ideological divide over abortion access takes the shape of a black fence surrounding the Fairview Heights Planned Parenthood Clinic — 15 miles from the Illinois-Missouri border. Paul J Hill dies by lethal injection in Starke, Fla, 9 years after he calmly shot and killed abortion doctor and his volunteer escort outside Pensacola clinic; Hill is first killer of abortion. People aren't embarrassed to talk about abortion anymore. Love – a 72-year-old volunteer escort at the abortion clinic – reportedly suffered injuries that required medical attention. James Barrett were murdered by anti-abortion extremist Paul Hill as they arrived to the clinic. ) is a grassroots organization established in June of 2022. You can volunteer as a clinic escort at our Cherry Hill, Hartford or Philadelphia locations! Escorts make up a team of indispensable volunteers whose role. , Wednesday, Aug. Wade, North Dakota’s Red River Women’s Clinic moved two miles away, into Minnesota and a new political reality. I had to protect the right I once needed. He is accused of shoving volunteer escort Bruce Love, 72, twice on Oct. Their role is to assist patients and staff to enter and exit these facilities safely, and to prevent any potential harassment or danger to individuals. Outside the clinic, anti-abortion protesters face off against volunteer escorts. In this June 25, 2022, file photo, volunteer clinic escorts shield a patient from anti-abortion activists outside the Hope Clinic For Women in Granite City, Illinois. 1-16. C. PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. In March 2018, NOAF celebrated two years of providing weekly escorting at our. The following day, I did my first shift as a volunteer clinic escort at a reproductive health clinic in New York City. According to Heffron, the escort started saying vile things to Houck's son. 15, when a woman parked in front of the clinic in Cuyahoga Falls, hurling several eggs. 55°. that required medical attention. It is possible that in metropolitan DC clinic escorts are not needed. The clinic has operated since 1998 in. m. Volunteer escorts gather outside Delta Clinic in Baton Rouge, one of three facilities that perform abortions in Louisiana. Many who work and volunteer at abortion clinics say that anti-abortion-rights demonstrators were emboldened by the election of former president Donald Trump, and statistics support their personal. Laura is a coordinator with Pittsburgh Pro-Choice Escorts, a group that organizes volunteers to stand in front of the city’s two abortion clinics — Planned Parenthood of. Red River Women's Clinic uses volunteer escorts to support patients and their loved ones into our building. A female counselor and two male volunteer escorts in the waiting room were wounded in the barrage. Mark Houck, 48, of. He says no women seeking care were at the clinic at the time. Donna Quinn received a reprimand from her order for serving as a volunteer escort at an abortion clinic in suburban Chicago. Anti-abortion protesters may be outside the facility, however they are not permitted on the property. Escorts typically volunteer directly for the clinic, and they have more of a direct. Outside the clinic, anti-abortion protesters face off against volunteer escorts. She said the patient escort had verbally harassed Houck’s 12-year-old son, who’d accompanied him to protest outside the clinic that day. Attend an interview, orientation and additional. Volunteer escorts typically walk patients to and from the doors of abortion providers. was a volunteer escort at the reproductive health. W. , Wednesday, Aug. Anti-abortion protester Jeff Asmussen, center, attempts to talk to a clinic escort, Thursday, July 7, 2022, at WE Health Clinic in Duluth, Minn. which decried the threat to abortion clinics but not pro. In some cases, these shortages caused clinics to close. ” What volunteers do: several times a year, the League performs comedy shows in a USO format to bring love to women’s health clinics and their communities; volunteers spend those days supporting a local abortion provider as clinic escorts, bringing treats and cards, offering support wherever needed. Saved Stories. Or call 1-800-230-7526. Being an abortion clinics escort isn't easy, and it requires a lot of patience. , from 2009 to 2011. You can get an in-clinic abortion at many Planned Parenthood health centers. We provide on-site clinic support with volunteer Clinic Escorts and Clinic Defenders. Houck allegedly pushed the pro-abortion man to the ground outside of the Planned Parenthood clinic a second time. Escorts are generally needed each Saturday, rain or shine, between 7 – 11 a. S. 23, 2022, on federal charges for allegedly physically assaulting a volunteer escort at a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Philadelphia in October 2021. The clinic has operated since 1998 in Fargo, where it was North Dakota’s only abortion clinic, but now faces likely shutdown on a trigger law banning abortion due to take effect in late August. Positioned just beyond the trespassing boundary is a group of pro-life advocates. Demonstrators often try to block cars from entering the clinic parking lot. Nearly two weeks after the 1973 Roe vs Wade decision was overturned, the abortion clinic is still providing abortions. staff and volunteers at the abortion clinic urged police officers and legislators to take Evans’s. 23, 2022, on federal charges for allegedly physically assaulting a volunteer escort at a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Philadelphia in October 2021. The trial for Mark Houck, the Bucks County pro-life advocate charged with violating the FACE Act for an altercation with an abortion clinic escort, is set to begin at the federal courthouse in Philadelphia on Jan. Kay, the clinic escort, has been thinking about the last time Evans faced legal. We fight to keep abortion safe, legal, and accessible for any human being who seeks abortion care by funding abortion and abortion related expenses. This summer pedestrians, drivers, and passengers in Washington, D. The indictment against Houck claims he “assaulted” the man only “because Love was a volunteer at the abortion clinic”. The volunteers are patient escorts who help patients walk to and from. Mike Kropf, TIMES-DISPATCH The city of Bristol is divided between Virginia and Tennessee. But “Bodies on the Line,” like clinic escorting, is primarily concerned with the personal side of abortion care. Paul Hill was convicted of the double murders and sentenced to death. And also to Jeff, an artist and woodworker in Aurora, IL, who gets up at 5:30 once a week for an hour-long drive to his nearest abortion clinic. 10 min. Oftentimes escorts are the first smiling faces our patients encounter – especially when. The clinic, which. 2. *All training will be held at the respective clinics, interested volunteers must complete their volunteer application, as well as provide proof of COVID vaccination at least 5 business days in advance of the training. Supreme Court agreed to take up the dispute over a Mississippi ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. People looking to volunteer can make an impact by becoming a clinic escort, Uhal said. Abortion protesters hold signs on the street corner next to clinic escort volunteers July 11, 2018, near the Red River Women's Clinic in Fargo. Michelle Davis, a volunteer escort at Founder's Women's Health Center,. March 19, 2015. Houck was offering them a brochure about the Women's Center, a pregnancy center that does not. Cheryl Wade Hanzlik, who volunteers as an escort at the Bristol Women’s Health clinic, is shown on June 15. Indiana Volunteer as an All Options intern or Talkline advocate; Donate to the Hoosier Abortion Fund ; Maryland Volunteer as a clinic escort; Volunteer with or donate to the DC Abortion FundEscorts and employees at the busy clinic report seeing a clear change in the behavior of regular anti-abortion protesters since the Supreme Court’s leaked Dobbs decision, Mauldin said. Volunteer patient escort Bruce Love said two patients left the clinic, and were approached by Houck. To understand the role and what it entails, we turned to Marian Starkey, a volunteer Planned Parenthood clinic escort in Maine who has been guiding patients past protesters at different locations. To minimize the effect these protests have on patients visiting Planned Parenthood clinics, the organization deploys volunteer clinic escorts to “help get patients to the door of our. Mike Kropf, TIMES-DISPATCH The city of Bristol is divided between Virginia and Tennessee. to discuss abortion options, answer questions, and schedule appointments in a personalized way. A Pennsylvania federal grand jury indicted Houck for allegations that he assaulted an abortion clinic volunteer, Bruce Love, in Philadelphia in September 2022. Photo Composite by The Daily Beast, Courtesy of Christie BurkhartVolunteer escorts who help patients access abortion clinics say they are facing more threats and violence from anti-abortion. Volunteer Donate SWAN Store. Supreme Court. He’s the lead volunteer escort at the clinic. By volunteering you’ll become a voice of progress for reproductive health. At most clinics, volunteer escorts do not confront the protesters. Our clinic escorts are committed to ensuring the safety of our patients and their loved ones. Anti-abortion advocates, who prefer the description “pro-life. I gently. New details have emerged in the high-profile assault case against a Bucks County anti-abortion activist accused of twice shoving and injuring a volunteer escort outside a Philadelphia reproductive health clinic whose trial is set for next week. A Pennsylvania jury acquitted a pro-life activist accused of assaulting a Planned Parenthood escort in 2021. H. View community ranking #24 in Largest Communities. ” on the indictment), was familiar with Houck because the two crossed paths at the Philadelphia abortion clinic many times previously. Escorts began working at more clinics as protests grew and as word of mouth created a network of volunteers. Donna Quinn, OP, acted as a volunteer escort at a Chicago area clinic that among other procedures, performs abortions. If you need help finding an abortion provider, you can contact one of the clinics on this page. Outside the clinic, anti-abortion protesters face off against volunteer escorts. Positioned just beyond the trespassing boundary is a group of pro-life advocates. Phyllis Erwin, a 48-year-old volunteer who escorts abortion doctors to a besieged clinic in Melbourne, Fla. "They don't want to deal with it. S. Courtesy Brock Wilbur Wilbur grew up in Kansas, where Wichita physician George Tiller, one of the few doctors in the country who performed late-term abortions, was shot to death in 2009 by an anti-abortion activist. , resident was arrested Sept. Clinic escorts are invaluable volunteers who help make safe, legal abortion possible. 21, 2006. Wade decision Friday and allowed Louisiana’s abortion ban to go into effect. Stand with Abortion Now (S. . ”Volunteer escort Kerry McNamara talks about why he volunteers Tuesday, June 28, 2022, at Hope Medical Group for Women in Shreveport, La. Following the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Within 48 hours, volunteers of Stand With Abortion Now, a group of clinic escorts who stand guard outside of the Center of Orlando for Women, launched a fundraiser to help the clinic cover the. That decision prompted me to become a clinic escort. Orlando abortion clinic escorts stand guard as Florida's six-week ban looms: With reproductive rights under attack, one volunteer group has committed itself to standing up to anti-choice. Not everyone who wants to volunteer is a good candidate. In a statement issued Monday, the FBI office denied claims that two dozen armed. W after she and her husband rode bikes past the clinic, yelled “Go home!” to the protesters outside, and. Arriving patients are left with no greeting besides “men yelling at you as you go in the door, telling you that you’re murdering babies,” describes the employee. That day, they wore brightly striped vests and had set up speakers blasting songs by Prince and Journey, an attempt to drown out the protesters. , 26, is a volunteer escort at the clinic. According to the federal charges, he shoved a 72-year-old volunteer escort of abortion clinic patients to the ground, which “resulted in bodily injury. Musick began regularly using her phone to. Photo Composite by The Daily Beast, Courtesy of Christie BurkhartVolunteer escorts who help patients access abortion clinics say they are facing more threats and violence from anti-abortion protesters since the fall of Roe v. A Cuyahoga Falls woman is accused of assaulting police officers after throwing eggs and a dead raccoon at the Northeast Ohio Women's Center, one of the state's few remaining surgical abortion clinics. Groups like Operation Rescue escalated protests around the. Outside the clinic, anti-abortion protesters face off against volunteer escorts. Volunteer. L. On a morning that's a balmy 23 degrees, beneath a sunny. Many clinics, including Planned Parenthood and A Woman’s Choice locations, have clinic escorts: volunteers who help patients safely get inside clinics, especially when there are protesters outside. , resident was arrested Sept. Twin Cities Clinic Escorts Serving Whole Woman’s Health of Minnesota and Robbinsdale Clinic, P. But as more clinics close, such volunteers are navigating an increasingly precarious reality.