The
National Pregnancy Support Hotline, launched by
the Australian government, is run by a Catholic organization
which is opposed to abortion and contraception.
Their goal is to coerce women to continue with
unwanted pregnancies. This hotline DOES NOT refer for abortion.
The pregnancy counselling phone numbers
listed in the 24 Hour Services section in the Yellow
and White pages, are all by pro-life, anti-choice
organizations. They DO NOT REFER for abortion
and may also oppose contraception
and sex education.
Sometimes crisis pregnancy centers will have
multiple Yellow Pages listings
under neutral headings
such as "Family Planning", "Counselling Services",
"Crisis Centers", "Abortion Counselling", "Abortion
Grief" and "Abortion Alternatives".
Anti-choice crisis pregnancy centers usually have
neutral names that may not suggest an anti-abortion
position. For instance, birthright, pregnancy counselling,
post abortion counselling, pregnancy support, crisis pregnancy
center, pregnancy help etc.
Some of these organizations will choose names
that are similar to those of legitimate abortion clinics
or counselling agencies. In the US, it is common for
anti-abortion
organizations to open "clinics"or "women's centers"
in the same building or street as genuine
abortion clinics. They advertise free pregnancy testing
and go out of their way to frighten women with films
designed to keep them from choosing abortion.
They will lie about the medical and emotional effects
of abortion and may tell the woman that she is not pregnant
even if she is, to fool her into continuing the pregnancy
without knowing. The delay would make abortion more risky
and keep her from getting prenatal care and may discourage
her from using the most reliable methods of birth control.
For more info on the Crisis Pregnancy Centers click here.
You also need to be aware of anti-abortion,
pro-life, anti-choice doctors and medical staff.
They may try to delay you from seeking appropriate services,
they may scare you with misinformation about the dangers
of abortion and the pill, or they may impose their moral/religious beliefs about abortion
and conraception.