Criminalizing Coercion...

A new law in Missouri would make it illegal to use any means of coercion pressuring a woman to obtain an abortion. It would also require that an ultrasound image of the unborn child be offered to the mother in case she might want to see her child.Supposedly, the bill would require clinics to inform women that the unborn child may feel pain, as well as display signs reading something such as "There are many public and private agencies willing and able to help you carry your child to term, and to assist you and your child after your child is born."This sounds like it would be something a pro-choicer would want, since it allows women to make a free choice about their pregnancy rather than perhaps feel they must abort their baby. For some reason however, this bill is receiving some opposition.Planned Parenthood already claims to provide the option of an ultrasound image at their clinics. Michelle Trupiano, a Missouri Planned Parenthood political lobbyist, claims that they take "lots of measures to make sure women are not coerced into having an abortion." If this is true, then Missouri should have no problem with this bill being passed!Pro-choice advocates should be pushing for this bill to succeed, unless they do not really want women to have a free choice. This bill would provide the means to show anyone with an unwanted pregnancy that there are other options, and that no one needs to have an abortion.Full article here.