Through the use of a unique sidewalk counseling technique known as the
"Chicago Method," hundreds of pregnant mothers have been turned away from
Chicago area abortion centers. You too can be trained to save babies using this
method.
The Chicago Method has been tried under various circumstances, varying
degrees of harassment, and varying access to abortion mill victims, and has
proven effective even under the most difficult conditions.
A Description of the Chicago Method:
When you approach the pregnant woman and her escort, say, "Excuse me. Are you
going to the medical center here? Did you know about the medical malpractice
lawsuits against this place?"
Give the pregnant woman and her escort factual information about the specific
abortuary they are about to enter. Repeat this information until it produces the
desired effect of disturbing them. Develop visual aids, such as a sheet that
summarizes the malpractice lawsuits against the mill, especially the
abortion-related lawsuits. Newspaper articles about scandalous conditions in the
abortion mill are also helpful.
After a minute or two, when the potential abortion client is sufficiently and
justifiably disturbed by negative factual information about the abortion clinic,
give her literature about an alternative center where she can go immediately for
a free pregnancy test and counseling help.
The pregnancy help agencies used in conjunction with this method will ideally
have a neutral-sounding name like "Women's Aid Center." It's purpose is to
attract and help women who are undecided about abortion or who think they need
abortion.
You might mention that the alternative center is a non-profit group concerned
with women's health and safety, that it has no malpractice lawsuits against it,
and that its services are free. Encourage her to go there immediately. You might
even offer to escort her there.
At the pregnancy help agencies pro-life information and presentations are
effectively given.
Trouble Shooting the Method:
In situations where there is no pregnancy help agency available, use the same
technique to draw women to a nearby restaurant or coffee shop for more extensive
counseling.
It is absolutely vital to the success of the technique that you not disclose
that you are an anti-abortionist or that the agency you are taking your clients
to will not give them an abortion or a referral. You need not lie to accomplish
this. Just reveal as much of the truth as you need to and no more.
It is important to meet potential turnaways as far away from the abortuary
door as possible. Walk up the sidewalk or street to meet them whenever you can.
The closer the pregnant woman gets to the abortuary door the greater the
temptation is for her to rush past you and go in. This is especially true if she
is being led in by a deathscort or boyfriend.
If a woman refuses to stop and listen to you, say something like "That place
has many lawsuits against it, Miss. We're trying to warn people about it."
Sometimes this warning will make her curious enough to come out after thinking
things over.
The "Don't kill your baby!" approach often makes future communication
difficult. Remember that at a busy abortion mill women may go in and out of the
building several times before having their abortions. They are more likely to
come out if you are not picketing or waving pro-life literature at them, telling
them not to kill their baby. Picketing and last effort tactics have their place,
but usually not in conjunction with this counseling technique.
If a woman asks you whether the alternative center does abortions, say
something like "They'll give you all the help you need. They give abortion
information and confidential medical referrals. They'll be glad to talk to you
about it, and their services are free." This is precisely the truth.
Do your best to change the subject by telling her how to get to the
alternative center. It is helpful to have professionally printed cards from the
pregnancy center that relates general facts, such as that no appointment is
needed for free confidential pregnancy tests, and that gives directions, and
hours. Let the prospective turnaways find out for themselves that the pregnancy
help center is in the business of saving lives and not destroying them.
Helps
Two counselors is the optimum number for effectively counseling one pregnant
woman. Large groups tend to intimidate her.
You should escort the turnaway to the pregnancy help center if possible. She
may need your support at this point until she can talk with the counselor at the
center. The pro-life escort should preferably be a woman, since most turnaways
will feel more comfortable going into a strange building escorted by a woman.
Do not take too much time with each client, The quicker the turnaway the
better. The average time for this method is two minutes from initial contact to
the escort phase. This will free you up to talk to other women going to the
clinic.
Lawsuits are a matter of public record and are available for scrutiny and
public use at any county court house. The clerks at your court house will be
glad to tell you how to look up any lawsuit that might have been filed against
an abortion mill or abortionist. This information will help you prepare some of
the handouts that were mentioned at the beginning of this brochure.
Atrocity stories about an abortuary may have been exposed in newspaper
articles. More commonly, you will find these stories by doing some elementary
research on the malpractice lawsuits on file, or by speaking with women who have
been exploited by abortion. Use these news clips and stories.
Counselors who do not have the "gift of gab" can use the Chicago technique
effectively. It can be taught in minutes and requires absolutely no knowledge of
such subjects as fetal gynecological problems, and so on. Counselors who have
had virtually no success using the "Please don't let them kill your baby"
approach have been able to turn many women away from the mills using the Chicago
Method.
The Chicago Method rarely causes a hostile response from those who are
approached on the street as potential abortion mill clients. Because the method
is "low key," it leaves the door open to future communication with those who
enter the abortion mill and later come out because of second thoughts about the
abortion or about the safety of the abortion.
Training Available
For information on the Chicago Method contact:
The Pro-Life Action League 6160 N. Cicero Ave. #600 Chicago, IL 60646 Phone
(312) 777-2900
For more ideas on sidewalk counseling and other effective ways to see
abortion stopped in your community, Joe Scheidler's book Closed: 99 Ways
to Stop Abortion is a must.
We acknowledge the contribution of Greg Morrow, Laura Nelson, Richard Freeman
and Dave DeFank to this Method of Sidewalk Counseling. A special thanks to
Richard Freeman for his contribution of the original text.
The Pro-Life Action League
6160 N. Cicero Ave. Suite 600
Chicago, IL 60646
Office - (312) 777-2900
Action Hotline - (312) 777-2525
