THE IMPACT OF MISINFORMATION AND LEGAL VULNERABILITY ON ABORTION ACTIVISM IN TEXAS

IF 2.3 2区 医学 Q1 OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY
E Kravitz, H Wurtz, A Mukund, D Johnson, G Cummings, S Sonalkar
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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.
错误信息和法律脆弱性对德克萨斯州堕胎活动的影响
目的本研究考察恐惧和法律不确定性对德克萨斯州基层堕胎活动家工作的影响,以及活动家抵抗这些策略负面影响的多层次策略。方法:我们在2023年11月至2024年4月期间对15名为德克萨斯人服务的基层堕胎活动家进行了半结构化的60分钟深度访谈。我们使用基于社区的参与式研究模型来指导我们的访谈和分析方法。通过专题分析对数据进行编码和分析。活动人士称,由于普遍存在的恐惧和法律上的不确定性,他们提供堕胎援助和支持的方式发生了重大变化。由于自我审查的要求和危机怀孕中心发布的大量错误信息,满足客户对信息的需求已经变得紧张。由于不确定提供堕胎援助的法律后果和对个人安全的担忧,人员和伙伴关系发生了变化。为了应对恐惧和法律上的不确定性,活动人士在教育个人和在社区中开展对话方面发挥着越来越大的作用,以消除堕胎作为医疗保健的污名并使其合法化。组织优先考虑并扩大了自我保健资源,更多地依靠联盟对活动家的支持来解决日益严重的倦怠和个人恐惧。结论:德克萨斯州的反堕胎运动将错误信息和法律模糊性作为武器,以引起恐惧,污名化服务,并削弱德克萨斯州堕胎维权组织的基础设施。积极分子的应对策略侧重于教育、弹性和协作,赋予患者和积极分子权力。
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来源期刊
Contraception
Contraception 医学-妇产科学
CiteScore
4.70
自引率
17.20%
发文量
211
审稿时长
69 days
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.
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