Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson decision one year ago today sent abortion laws back to the states, stories have abounded about abortion stigma — that being against abortion can hurt women. The New York Times published an article before the decision was made official on the perceived emotional cost of being denied an abortion, and the American Psychological Association has since said that abortion restriction harms mental health.
At my organization, Support After Abortion, we see the negative link between abortion opposition and women’s mental health every day. Some women tell us they feel like they aren’t welcome at church, or they can’t tell family members what happened to them out of fear of judgment and being disowned. Other women fear being prosecuted under anti-abortion state laws.
This piece was originally published by The Messenger