FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Leslie Palma
917-639-7039
Contrary to the “reproductive freedom” narrative, most abortions in America are coerced abortions, and it’s time to take that to court.
Priests for Life and our Silent No More Campaign stand with pro-life advocates who filed a lawsuit in federal court in Minnesota to show that the state’s abortion laws violate the 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution by allowing abortions for mothers who were coerced into the procedure.
“The voices of the women of Silent No More back up the claims made in the suit,” said Janet Morana, executive director of Priests for Life and co-founder of Silent No More. “Many, if not most women felt pressured by husbands, boyfriends, parents, employers or even abortionists to abort babies whom they did not want to kill.”
Priests for Life National Director Frank Pavone said his organization has become involved in the case by providing statements from women whose abortions were coerced.
Carol Seidenberg, a Silent No More regional coordinator in San Diego, had two abortions.
“Neither abortion was the result of my exercising my ‘choice’ from a position of power, confidence or strength,” she said. “Rather my first abortion was suggested to me as the only ‘reasonable’ solution to the situation I was in, and for my second abortion, I was strong-armed into the decision by my doctor and fiancé.”
Elaine in Oklahoma, whose testimony can be found on the Silent No More website, wrote that “I had my two abortions when I was in the military in 1981 and 1982 at a private doctor's office in Boise, ID. During my first pregnancy, I went to the medical clinic on base. I found out that I was pregnant from a pregnancy test. Afterward, the OB doctor handed me a list of abortion doctors to contact for an abortion, and I was not given another choice … I did not want to have an abortion, but I thought I did not have another choice.”
Pavone pointed out that a 2023 study revealed that nearly 70% of women who have had abortions describe the procedure as being inconsistent with their own values and preferences. One of four women say they were forced to end the lives of their children.
“Women have a constitutional right to continue their pregnancies,” Pavone said. “People will be hearing many more voices of women who were forced into abortion as this lawsuit continues.”
The lawsuit was filed by longtime pro-life advocate and attorney Harold Cassidy on behalf of Women’s Life Care Center, National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, Dakota Hope Clinic, two doctors and three mothers. The defendants include Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Gov. Tim Walz, Department of Human Services Commissioner Jodi Harpstead and Planned Parenthood.
Minnesota is one of the most abortion-friendly states, with no limits on how late into a pregnancy an unborn child can be killed. But this lawsuit will certainly have many implications nationwide, both in terms of law and public opinion.