- Abortion clinic
An abortion clinic is a medical facility that performs or specializes in
abortion s. Suchclinics may be public medical centers or private medical practices.Planned Parenthood , whose clinics offer abortions as well as other reproductive care and counseling, is the largest operator of abortion clinics in theUnited States .The first Dutch abortion clinic (the Mildredhuis in
Arnhem ) opened onFebruary 27 1971 .Attacks on abortion clinics
Because of the controversial nature of
abortion in many countries, including the United States,pro-life advocates often protest abortion clinics through picketing, or other means such as holding vigils, although some have taken to more drastic means such as arson to prevent people from using these facilities. Over a fifteen year period there have been 167 attacks on abortion clinics of one form or another. The amount of anti-abortion related violence peaked in 2003.ref|2003statsIn the U.S., violence directed toward abortion providers has claimed the lives of 7 people, including 3 doctors, 2 clinic employees, a security guard, and a clinic escort. These are:
* Dr. David Gunn
* Dr.John Britton andJames Barrett
*Shannon Lowney andLeanne Nichols
* Police Officer Robert Sanderson, killed by future Centennial Olympic bomberEric Robert Rudolph
* Dr.Barnett Slepian A fourth doctor, George Patterson, was shot in Mobile,
Alabama onAugust 21 ,1993 , but it is uncertain whether his death was the direct result of his profession or rather arobbery . Crow, Karen. (August 19 ,2005 ). [http://www.plannedparenthood.org/news-articles-press/politics-policy-issues/abortion-access/tiller-patterson-11504.htm A Violent Week in August] . "Choice! Magazine." RetrievedJanuary 25 ,2007 .]Other terms
Because of the controversial nature of abortion, a number of alternative terms for "abortion clinic" have arisen from both sides of the abortion debate. Those opposed to legal abortion sometimes pejoratively refer to abortion clinics as "abortuaries" (a
portmanteau of "abortion" and "mortuary") or "abortion mills", whilePro-Choice and abortion clinics themselves often use the title "women's clinic".
supporters of legal abortionReferences
*cite web | author=Robinson, B.A. | year=2004| title=Violence at US Abortion Clinics | format=HTML | url=http://www.religioustolerance.org/abo_viol.htm | accessdate=2006-04-28
*cite web
url = http://www.ncsl.org/programs/health/aborlaws.htm
title = Abortion Laws
accessdate = 2008-08-31
year = 2008
month = June
publisher = National Conference of State LegislaturesExternal links
* [http://www.abortion.com Abortion.com] – Online directory of U.S. abortion clinics
* [http://www.msnbc.com/modules/clinics Abortion clinic violence] – MSNBC report on violent incidents
* [http://www.abortion.org.au/INTclinics.htm Links to Abortion Clinics Worldwide]
* [http://americanwomensservices.com/index.html AmericanWomensServices.com] – Clinics in the northeastUnited States
* [http://www.gynpages.com Abortion Clinics OnLine] – Abortion clinic websites in the US
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