Clinic escort

A clinic escort is a person who volunteers at an abortion clinic to help guide patients and staff into and out of the building. They serve to shield clients from pro-life demonstrators at the site.^[1] Escorts in the United States sometimes wear orange vests labelled "clinic escort".^[2][3][4]

One clinic escort has died as a result of abortion-related violence. On June 29, 1994, clinic escort James Barrett was shot dead, along with Dr. John Britton, outside of a clinic in Pensacola, Florida by former pastor Paul Jennings Hill.^[5] Hill was later sentenced to death.

Another clinic escort, Marie Bains of Sacramento, California, was fired from her job as a drama teacher at the Catholic Loretto High School in October 2005 after a student's parent sent photographs of Bains volunteering at a local Planned Parenthood to Bishop William K. Weigand of the Diocese of Sacramento. Weigand stated that Bain's "active and public participation in the procurement of abortions is morally inappropriate and unacceptable with regard to her work as a teacher at Loretto".^[6]

References

1. ^ "Volunteer Opportunity: Clinic Escort^{[dead link]}." (n.d.). VolunteerMatch.org. Retrieved December 14, 2006.
2. ^ Freeman, Jo. (1993). Feminism vs. Family Values Women at the 1992 Democratic and Republican Conventions. In Off Our Backs, pp. 2-3, 10-17. Retrieved December 14, 2006.
3. ^ Greenberg, Mary Lou. (Summer 1998). "When 'Pro-Life' Means Death." On the Issues. Retrieved May 31, 2009.
4. ^ Sayeau, Ashley. (November 18, 2004). "Southern Ms.." The Nation. Retrieved December 14, 2006.
5. ^ NARAL Pro-Choice America Foundation. (2006). Clinic violence and intimidation. Retrieved December 14, 2006.
6. ^ Milbourn, Tod; Cameron Jahn (2005-10-15). "Teacher Fired for Work at Clinic" (fee required). The Sacramento Bee. http://localsearch.sacbee.com/sp?keywords=%22Teacher+fired+for+work+at+clinic%22&aff=1100. Retrieved 2006-12-14.