STRANGER DANGER! SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING. REPORT A FAKE CLINIC
WHAT IS AN ANTI-ABORTION CLINIC?
Crisis pregnancy centers or like we call ANTI ABORTION CENTERS (also called CPCs or fake clinics) are clinics or mobile vans that look like real health centers, but they have a shady, harmful agenda: to scare, shame, or pressure you out of getting an abortion, and to tell lies about abortion, birth control, and sexual health.
They advertise free pregnancy tests, abortion counseling, pre-abortion screenings, abortion education, post-abortion care, or after-abortion help — but they refuse to help you get an abortion.
They advertise “abortion pill reversal” or say you can “reverse” an abortion. (This isn’t true — you can’t reverse an abortion.)
They say abortion is unsafe, or that it leads to cancer, infertility, or mental health problems. (This isn’t true — abortion is one of the safest medical procedures. The rate of major complications is less than 1%, and it’s safer than getting your wisdom teeth taken out. Abortion also doesn’t increase your risk for cancer, infertility, or mental health problems.)
They say negative things about abortion, birth control, condoms, or sex.
They don’t provide condoms or other effective birth control methods like the pill, patch, ring, shot, IUD, or implant — if they do offer birth control services, it’s usually only the fertility awareness method.
They try to pressure you into continuing a pregnancy, or placing your future baby for adoption.
They try to talk about religion even when you don’t want to.
They say judgmental things about sex before marriage, single parenting, LGBTQ+ people, or people of color.
They offer items like clothes, diapers, and bottles, but you have to go to lectures and workshops from the CPC to “earn” them.
One of the easiest ways to find out if a clinic is a CPC is to look at their website for some of the warning signs listed above. You can also call and ask about their services — if they say they don’t provide abortion or effective birth control methods like condoms or the pill, and they won’t help you find a clinic that does, it’s probably not a real health center. If they’re not clear about their services or pressure you to come to the clinic in person, that’s also a huge red flag.
Trust your gut: if something seems fishy, it probably is. And if you ever feel uncomfortable at a clinic, you have the right to leave at any time.
Real health centers are open and upfront about their services. They’ll help you get the care you need, and they don’t pressure you to make certain decisions about sex, birth control, or pregnancy. Real health centers give you honest facts about all of your options — without scare tactics, shame, or judgment — so you can decide for yourself what’s right for you.
NEED TO KNOW
There are close to 3000 of these pregnancy crisis centers across the US… 25+ of them in Idaho.
Abortion Pill Reversal is not real and harmful: https://www.thecut.com/2019/12/abortion-reversal-study-stopped-after-women-hospitalized.html <<< Read this
They lure pregnant people in with the promise of free ultrasounds and ‘pregnancy support’… they do not use medical facts and, once inside, pregnant people are shamed, pressured, and lied to…
They look like medical facilities even though most do not employ any medical professionals.
Worse, these places are not HIPAA compliant, meaning they can and WILL give your information to the authorities or court. With abortions being illegal, this can increase risk of becoming criminalized for seeking an abortion.
Sometimes they have mobile ‘clinics’ that prey on lower income communities.
These clinics do not offer comprehensive prenatal care.
The Idaho Health and Welfare Department website has these fake clinics listed on their website under the Free Ultrasound Provider list… even though these clinics are not legitimate medical facilities!!!