Illegal Abortion Group Saved Lives

 

Abortion have always existed and will never be stopped entirely. It didn't work before Roe v. Wade and won't work now.

One example: a Chicago group, Jane operated in Chicago for seven years and helped women get safe abortions. It started almost by accident in 1965 when college student Heather Booth helped a friend’s sister find a safe abortion from a Dr. Howard. Word spread and when other women called Booth at her dorm, she sent them to Howard who charged $500.

At that time it was estimated that one-third of American women would want a pregnancy terminated during their lifetime. Poor women suffered higher rates of death from botched procedures either self-inflicted or by backroom butchers. Many hospital kept 10 to 40 beds just for their treatment.

Other women, with various reasons including their own experiences seeking an abortion, joined the organization to help other women.

Via the underground and signs saying "Pregnant? Don't want to be? Call Jane", women would phone and leave a message on the answering service. Many of their referrals came from doctors who wanted to help, but would not do an abortion themselves. 

Jane would call back to arrange a meeting.

The group rented several apartments. Pregnant women would meet in one location and be driven to another. Jenny or another group members would stay in the room to insure that patient was properly treated.

Jane fund raised to help poor women pay the fees. Also four members trained to perform the abortions at rates as low $100.

Mostly, the police ignored them. It was thought that their families had used the service.

In 1972 seven of the group were arrested, but Roe v. Wade saved them from the possibility of years in prison. The group disbanded when it was no longer necessary.

It was estimated the group performed 11,000 abortions under safe conditions.

Groups like this will develop again.