Contact:  Tracy Reynolds, Media Liaison, Operation Outcry, The Justice Foundation, 210-614-7157, 650-400-0436 cell, info@txjf.org

MEDIA ADVISORY, Aug. 14 /Standard Newswire/ -- Allan Parker, President of The Justice Foundation, announced today that 100 scientists, medical and mental health professionals, based on their training and experience, have released a joint statement today saying abortion hurts women.  They agree with the following statements: 

"As a scientist, medical or mental health professional, I agree with the following conclusions about abortion:

THE FACTS

1. It is common for women to experience feelings of anger, fear, sadness, anxiety, grief, or guilt after abortion.  The United States Supreme Court is correct that "some women come to regret their choice to abort the infant life they once created and sustained... Severe depression and loss of esteem can follow."
2. Women's reaction to these feelings vary considerably with their emotional coping abilities and pre-existing functioning.  It is undeniable that significant numbers of women are injured by abortion and should not be ignored by the medical profession and that significant numbers of women suffer serious physical, mental or psychological trauma as a result of abortion. 
3. The conclusion that there is a causal connection between abortion and negative problems is supported by three independent lines of evidence:  (a) the self-attribution of women themselves, (b) mental health professionals who have successfully diagnosed and treated post-abortion reactions, and (c) statistically validated studies controlling for a large number of confounding factors which have been published in peer reviewed journals.

The Justice Foundation's president, Allan Parker, also stated that the women of Operation Outcry, who have been personally hurt by abortion, also confirm that abortion hurts women.  Women themselves offer the best evidence of how abortion affected them.  The Justice Foundation has now collected over 3,000 testimonies from women and men hurt by abortion.  It is the largest body in the world of legally admissible evidence on the harm of abortion. 

Lisa Dudley, Director of Outreach for Operation Outcry said: "It is time for the world to hear the truth about our pain.  Abortion hurts women and we will be silent no more."

Women who have been hurt by abortions and some of the professionals are available to discuss the issues.  Contact Tracy Reynolds at 210-614-7157 or info@txjf.org.

The testimony of these women has now influenced two major court decisions, the Supreme Court (April 18, 2007 partial birth abortion decision) and the 8th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals opinion (June 27, 2008) upholding the South Dakota law requiring women be informed before abortion that abortion terminates the "life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being" and a "description of all known medical risks of the procedure and statistically significant risk factors to which the pregnant woman would be subjected, including:  (i) Depression and related psychological distress; (ii) Increased risk of suicide ideation and suicide."

A full copy of the Statement of Medical and Mental Health Professionals can be read at:  www.operationoutcry.org. 

In addition, on March 14, 2008, the British Royal Academy of Psychiatrists stated:  

"Healthcare professionals who assess or refer women who are requesting an abortion should assess for mental disorder and for risk factors that may be associated with its subsequent development. If a mental disorder or risk factors are identified, there should be a clearly identified care pathway whereby the mental health needs of the woman and her significant others may be met.
 
"The Royal College of Psychiatrists recognizes that good practice in relation to abortion will include informed consent. Consent cannot be informed without the provision of adequate and appropriate information regarding the possible risks and benefits to physical and mental health."

The full Royal College of Psychiatrists' position statement on women's mental health in relation to induced abortion can be read here.

Clayton Trotter, General Counsel of The Justice Foundation said:  "Given that the Supreme Court, the 8th Circuit, the British Royal Academy of Psychiatrists, 100 American Scientists, Medical and Mental Health Professionals and 3000 post-abortive women, and men agree that abortion can potentially severely hurt women we want that truth to be recognized by the American Psychological Association."