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During oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Justice Amy Coney Barrett questioned whether abortion was really necessary anymore given the existence of safe haven laws. (Erin Schaff / Getty Images) |
BY SHOSHANNA EHRLICH | Safe haven laws enable anyone to anonymously drop a baby off at a designated location without the risk of being charged with child abandonment or endangerment. These laws were never intended to be a literal alternative to abortion—that is, not until Amy Coney Barrett expressly connected the dots during her questioning of Julie Rikelman, attorney for the plaintiff clinics, during oral argument in Dobbs. Safe haven laws ignore the very real risks and burdens associated with pregnancy and childbirth, particularly for vulnerable communities. They also represent an abandonment of “troubled young women” by “deciding that their deep-rooted problems can be saved by an after-the-fact, quick-fix solution.” (Click here to read more) |
