Richmond, VA — A pro-life law in Virginia to help educate women about abortion's risks and alternatives is set to go into effect. Beginning September 30, women who want to have an abortion in Virginia will undergo counseling 24 hours in advance.
The legislation's pro-life supporters say it ensures women will be able to
get important information about abortion they are not likely to get from
the abortion facility. Similar laws in other states have proven to reduce the number of abortions.
“This is not onerous,” said Fiona Givens, spokeswoman for the Virginia
Society for Human Life. “There are very few people in contemporary society who would find education burdensome, especially in a decision such as abortion, which is irreversible.”
Virginia Women's Wellness, a local abortion business, began offering the
counseling the week of September 24th to patients scheduled for abortions October 1st, administrator Michelle Smith said.
“It's just another hurdle for our patients to go over,” Smith said.
“Ninety-five percent of our patients have already made up their minds by
the time they make the phone call.”
Abortion facilities must describe the nature and risks of abortion, as well as the alternatives, and tell mothers the likely gestational age of their unborn child. Women must be told that they can speak in advance with the person who'll perform the abortion and that they may withdraw their consent at any time. They also must be offered printed material from the state health department, including information about alternative resources available to pregnant women.
Women must then sign a consent form, swearing that they received the
information at least 24 hours earlier, Smith said. Informed consent isn't
required in a medical emergency, according to the legislation.
Most women won't face much delay, Smith said. In the past, women could call and schedule an abortion the same day. Most of the time, though, women scheduled appointments several days in advance.
The law was passed by the General Assembly earlier this year after being
proposed five years in a row. Its chief patrons were two local legislators, pro-life Del. Robert F. McDonnell, R-Virginia Beach, and pro-life former-Sen. J. Randy Forbes, R-Chesapeake, who has since been elected to Congress. McDonnell has said he crafted his bill to closely parallel a Pennsylvania law that was upheld as constitutional in 1992.
Abortion practitioners who violate the law will face $2,500 in civil penalties. Virginia has required parental notification of minors seeking
abortion since 1997.
For more information on the new pro-life law, contact: Virginia Society
for Human Life, PO Box 6925 Richmond, VA 23230, (804) 358-8745.
(This article courtesy of the Pro-Life Infonet email newsletter. For more information or to subscribe go to www.prolifeinfo.org or email infonet@prolifeinfo.org.)