E Kravitz, H Wurtz, A Mukund, D Johnson, G Cummings, S Sonalkar
{"title":"THE IMPACT OF MISINFORMATION AND LEGAL VULNERABILITY ON ABORTION ACTIVISM IN TEXAS","authors":"E Kravitz, H Wurtz, A Mukund, D Johnson, G Cummings, S Sonalkar","doi":"10.1016/j.contraception.2025.111120","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study examines the impact of fear and legal uncertainty on the work of grassroots abortion activists in Texas, as well as the multi-level strategies of activists to resist the negative impacts of these tactics.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We conducted semi-structured, 60-minute in-depth interviews between November 2023 and April 2024 with 15 grassroots abortion activists serving Texans. We utilized a community based participatory research model to guide our approach to interviews and analysis. Data were coded and analyzed through thematic analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Activists describe significant shifts to their approach to providing abortion assistance and support because of widespread fear and legal uncertainty. Meeting clients’ needs for information has been strained by demands of self-censorship and a surge of misinformation promulgated by crisis pregnancy centers. Personnel and partnerships have been altered by uncertainty of the legal ramifications of providing abortion assistance and fear for personal security. In response to fear and legal uncertainty, activists have an expanding role in educating individuals and generating dialogue in the community to destigmatize and legitimize abortions as healthcare. Organizations have prioritized and expanded self-care resources and rely more heavily on coalition support for activists to address rising burnout and personal fear.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The anti-abortion movement in Texas has weaponized misinformation and legal ambiguity to elicit fear, stigmatize services, and erode the infrastructure of abortion activist organizations in Texas. Activists have responded with strategies focused on education, resiliency, and collaboration empowering patients and activists.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10762,"journal":{"name":"Contraception","volume":"151 ","pages":"Article 111120"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Contraception","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010782425003117","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objectives
This study examines the impact of fear and legal uncertainty on the work of grassroots abortion activists in Texas, as well as the multi-level strategies of activists to resist the negative impacts of these tactics.
Methods
We conducted semi-structured, 60-minute in-depth interviews between November 2023 and April 2024 with 15 grassroots abortion activists serving Texans. We utilized a community based participatory research model to guide our approach to interviews and analysis. Data were coded and analyzed through thematic analysis.
Results
Activists describe significant shifts to their approach to providing abortion assistance and support because of widespread fear and legal uncertainty. Meeting clients’ needs for information has been strained by demands of self-censorship and a surge of misinformation promulgated by crisis pregnancy centers. Personnel and partnerships have been altered by uncertainty of the legal ramifications of providing abortion assistance and fear for personal security. In response to fear and legal uncertainty, activists have an expanding role in educating individuals and generating dialogue in the community to destigmatize and legitimize abortions as healthcare. Organizations have prioritized and expanded self-care resources and rely more heavily on coalition support for activists to address rising burnout and personal fear.
Conclusions
The anti-abortion movement in Texas has weaponized misinformation and legal ambiguity to elicit fear, stigmatize services, and erode the infrastructure of abortion activist organizations in Texas. Activists have responded with strategies focused on education, resiliency, and collaboration empowering patients and activists.
期刊介绍:
Contraception has an open access mirror journal Contraception: X, sharing the same aims and scope, editorial team, submission system and rigorous peer review.
The journal Contraception wishes to advance reproductive health through the rapid publication of the best and most interesting new scholarship regarding contraception and related fields such as abortion. The journal welcomes manuscripts from investigators working in the laboratory, clinical and social sciences, as well as public health and health professions education.