Other critical elements of reproductive freedom include the ability to pay for the procedure, a trained medical professional to provide the service, and an accessible, acceptable place in which to have it done. Without each of these conditions -- money, providers, and clinics -- a legal right to have an abortion can be meaningless.
In fact, if we took the same approach to education that we have taken to abortion, there would be only twelve teachers in the entire state of Minnesota, and just seven schools -- six of which would be located in the Twin Cities. That's right. Currently, there are only twelve medical practitioners and seven clinics to provide abortion services for the women of Minnesota.
Incredible as it sounds, there are those who have even fewer options. Our neighboring states of North and South Dakota each have only one abortion provider in the entire state, which leaves 98% of their counties without any providers. In those states, the legal right to an abortion is virtually an empty promise.
Anti-choice forces know just how important universal access is to having true reproductive freedom. In recent years, their focus has shifted from trying to achieve a complete reversal of our legal rights to slowly but surely restricting our access. Mandated waiting periods, face-to-face counseling, and denial of public funding, are among the most common restrictions encountered. As one measure of their success, between 1994 and 1995, the number of laws restricting access to abortion increased 260%. Even so, we are fighting back.
At Pro-Choice Resources, we work to make the promise of reproductive freedom a reality for all women -- not just those who are fortunate enough to have access to a full range of choices. Through our education programs, we work to help students, teachers, and others understand the issues surrounding reproductive health and abortion by providing unbiased, factual information. We support legislation that protects a woman's right to choose. And we offer no-interest loans to women who are unable to fully cover the immediate costs of having an abortion.
Like yours, our commitment to choice is both broad and deep. Now, more than ever, we need your support to successfully resist these attacks on our reproductive freedom. Your gift today of $25.00, $50.00, or more will help us keep the promise of choice for all women.