Today the United States Supreme Court heard arguments in the Louisiana case June Medical Services v. Russo. The court will once again review an unnecessary and harmful state law that requires doctors performing abortions to have hospital admitting privileges near their clinic.

Just three years ago the Court struck down an identical Texas law as an undue burden on women’s access to abortion – but that was before Justice Kennedy retired and Justice Kavanaugh was named as his replacement.

There are many reasons the Court should strike down the Louisiana law. But the critical overlooked aspect of these kinds of laws is their impact on anti-abortion violence, stalking, harassment and death threats against doctors and clinics. Extremists know their violent tactics make hospitals and doctors fearful, and are a leading factor in hospitals denying admitting privileges to doctors who perform abortions.

Threats and violence against abortion providers in Louisiana are pervasive. That’s why the Feminist Majority Foundation’s National Clinic Access Project has working in Louisiana for years to keep clinics open.

Most recently, our organizers were on site in New Orleans when Operation Save America targeted physicians at their homes, private medical offices and clinics. Extremists distributed WANTED-style flyers with doctors’ photographs, names and personal information. Our team worked with clinics to increase their security measures, and together with local community allies, trained and coordinated volunteers as legal observers and patient escorts. And we worked with local law enforcement to keep doctors and clinic staff safe in their homes in spite of the intimidation by extremists.

Louisiana is not the only state where abortion providers are targeted by violence. Our 2018 National Clinic Violence Survey found that 1 in 4 abortion providers experience severe violence and threats of violence, and fully 52% of responding clinics reported targeted intimidation and threats against doctors and staff – including stalking, death threats, and cyber-stalking.

When lawmakers in Louisiana and other states like Mississippi, Kansas and Oklahoma pass laws requiring hospital admitting privileges, they know doctors who perform abortions will be denied – and clinics will close. These laws put women’s lives at risk and disproportionately impact women of color and poor women. This is especially cruel in a state like Louisiana that already has the highest maternal mortality rate in the nation.

Currently in Louisiana, only one of the doctors who provides abortions has hospital admitting privileges, and he has said that if the law goes into effect, he will be forced to quit out of concern for his safety and the safety of his family. So, if the Supreme Court upholds the law, Louisiana will be left without a single abortion provider.

We must not let violent extremists cut off access to abortion by causing hospitals to deny doctors admitting privileges.Women’s lives depend on our work to fight back.

Join us to defend and protect clinics and targeted doctors and staff. Please donate today--your contribution is 100% tax deductible.

P.S. Clinics across the country need our help staying open and safe. We are determined to help those in need--because building this movement and protecting abortion providers and access is what we do. Won’t you make a tax-deductible contribution today?

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