Students accuse Northwestern of referring students to abortion
Students at Northwestern University are accusing the school of failing to inform pregnant students about pro-life options by only referring students to abortion clinics.
Northwestern students who believe they may be pregnant are referred to a resource sheet that lists abortion clinics and clinics that provide abortion referrals, yet not one of the recommended clinics touts prenatal care.
The “Sexual Health and Resources for Northwestern Students” guide is published by the school’s Center for Awareness, Response, and Education (CARE), which describes itself as as an resource center for survivors of sexual assault and violence.
[RELATED: Students slam Northwestern for ‘morally wrong’ Plan B advice]
That guide was brought to Campus Reform’s attention by Northwestern Right to Life members, some of whom expressed concern that the guide encourages survivors of sexual violence to take Plan B or terminate a potential pregnancy.
According to the guide, there are nine local clinics that pregnant students can visit. While some recommendations offer non-medical services, two clinics are explicitly described as “abortion services” clinics: the local Planned Parenthood and Family Planning Associates.
Both Family Planning Associates and Planned Parenthood are primarily abortion clinics, and neither suggest prenatal care, prenatal care referrals, or adoption agencies to pregnant women, according to a review of their websites.
Only one clinic on the list, the Chicago Women’s Health Center, offers both abortion and prenatal care referrals. However, neither option is prominent on the clinic’s website, which prefaces its recommendations by noting that it is a “pro-choice” organization.
[RELATED: ‘Reproductive justice’ scholar admits abortion is key concern]
Right to Life’s president, student Monica Juarez, first sounded the alarm about the CARE office’s overwhelming support for abortion during an interview with Campus Reform.
“It’s not fair that the school…isn’t informing students about better options of adoption or where to go if you’re an undergrad or grad student at Northwestern and find yourself unexpectedly pregnant,” Juarez worried, asserting that the website for the school’s student health clinic doesn’t suggest prenatal care, either.
“By only informing students about abortifacients and abortion clinics, there is an implication that because a student is pregnant they should get an abortion,” Juarez noted.
Grace Eder, another pro-life student, was equally dismayed that the CARE office doesn’t refer students to pro-life resources.
“If my friend or classmate found out she was pregnant, she deserves to fully understand all of her options,” Eder told Campus Reform. “She deserves to know that she has support to bring new life into the world. There are many resources and opportunities for adoption, and for caring directly for her child.”
[RELATED: Students blast UMN’s ‘digusting’ plan to hire an abortionist]
As Campus Reform reported last week, Northwestern Right to Life also alleges that the school provides misleading information about Plan B. Though the school encourages its use as an “emergency contraceptive,” pro-life students worry that, under certain circumstances, the pill can work as an over-the-counter abortion pill.
Campus Reform reached out to Northwestern officials multiple times, but did not receive a response. This article will be updated if and when a statement is provided.
Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @Toni_Airaksinen
