The People's Record

Women’s clinics under physical attack across US
June 2, 2012

Women’s health clinics have been under a siege of anti-choice attacks recently throughout the United States. Cases of arson and burglary of essential sex education and medical materials have victimized not only pro-women organizations, but the recipients of their services.

Attacks have become increasingly common throughout the years as anti-choice legislation has threatened women’s access to healthcare. Fear-mongering tactics among conservative groups has disseminated anti-abortion propaganda, set clinics ablaze, assassinated practitioners and detonated bombs in clinics. However, abortion providers aren’t the only places being threatened; women’s advocacy and sex education groups have also become prey of right-wing anti-choice terrorism.

The pattern of violence comes in wake of the assassination of Dr. George Tiller earlier this week. The late-term abortion provider was gunned down at his church and had previously survived several murder attempts.

The most recent cases of attacks on women’s health clinics include:

Atlanta Gynecology and Obstetrics in Atlanta: The healthcare facility was lit on fire in the early morning of May 20. Suspects also broke into the building stealing classified medical information of its patients.

Alpha OB/GYN in Marietta, Georga: On May 23, a suspect burned down the third floor and areas of the second floor of the local clinic. Nobody was hurt, but the clinic is unable to continue its health services at this time.

Women with a Vision in New Orleans: Women with a Vision, a non-profit clinic that provides health and life services for women of color, transgender women, women with addiction and poor women, was a victim to an arson and burglary attack on May 28. The offenders targeted rooms with sex education literature, self-examination breast models, condoms and HIV and STD materials.

Planned Parenthood in Austin: Anti-choice group Live Action set up a failed sting operation to falsely accuse Planned Parenthood of conducting sex-selective abortions with undercover actors and cameras.