Pro-abortion groups demand that Illinois hold anti-abortion ‘fake clinics’ accountable

“At first glance, CPCs appear to be welcoming and compassionate places, but that is a facade that has been carefully cultivated for decades. It’s a cover for anti-abortion extremists,” said Lisa Battisfore, Founder of Reproductive Transparency Now. “These so-called ‘crisis pregnancy centers’ are run by anti-abortion groups with one primary goal in mind: to delay and prevent pregnant people from accessing abortion care.”

 

Anti-abortion CPCs employ harmful deceptive tactics that can lead to more invasive alternatives, greater financial burdens, more travel and time off work, and ultimately being forced to carry the pregnancy to term. As abortion is considerably safer than childbirth, CPC tactics magnify the increased risk of health complications associated with pregnancy, especially for Black women.

 

Post-Dobbs, Illinois became a destination for patients who are seeking abortion care, which is why it is critical for Senate Bill 1909 to be passed by the House of Representatives today. SB1909 amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to prohibit CPCs from using deception or fraud to interfere with a person seeking access to a provider of abortion or reproductive healthcare services. If passed and signed into law, this legislation would allow the Illinois Attorney General to investigate any CPC that is accused of deceptive practices.

 

In order for SB1909 to be effective, pregnant people seeking reproductive healthcare who find themselves in the grips of an anti-abortion CPC must be able to identify when they may have been subjected to deceptive practices and disinformation. We march on Saturday to highlight our ongoing advocacy efforts.

Co-sponsors of the 12:00 PM pro-abortion rally and march include Reproductive Transparency Now (RTN), Chicago For Abortion Rights (CFAR), Gay Liberation Network (GLN), Chicago Abortion Fund (CAF), Chicago NOW, Illinois National Organization for Women, and PSL Chicago.