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Advocates say contraception is key to fewer abortions
► HAILEY DIXON
@_hailey_dixon
Although abortion rates are at the lowest point across the country since Roe v. Wade, the state of Kansas' abortion rate increased slightly in 2014, according to an article by The New York Times. Abortion-rights advocates at the University say strict abortion laws and abstinence-only education efforts in the state have contributed to the increase.
The report on which the article is based shows Kansas' rate as fluctuating around 12 percent between 2011 and 2014, or close to 7,000 abortions each year. The state's rate is higher than the 10.9 percent average in the Midwest, but lower than the national average of 14.9 percent.
Other states that faced a moderate increase of abortions were Arkansas, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina and Vermont, according to the Times article. Of those, Vermont was the only state that did not see restrictive abortion laws between 2001-2014, according to the article.
Alesha Doan, an associate professor of political science, specializes in research within reproductive politics and policy.
"Advocates that are anti-abortion believe that eliminating abortion and restricting abortion is the best way to decrease abortion," Doan said. "And while it seems counterintuitive, those types of activities often times increase the abortion rate."
Photo illustration by Missy Minear
According to The Washington Post, abortions are prohibited at 20 weeks in Kansas. Counseling and an ultrasound is required for patients seeking an abortion.
Lisa Cox, a junior from Waite Park, Minnesota, said she is anti-abortion because of her religious faith and personal belief system.
I expect that we are in for a very contentious time around reproductive rights certainly at the national level."
Alesha Doan Associate professor of political science
"I think it stems, to some degree, from my faith, but also just as a person, like whether I was a Christian or not, I have a basis of belief that everyone has value," Cox said.
Carla Rivas-D'Amico, former president and now member of SURGE. Students United for Gender and Reproductive Equity, said that she thinks another reason why the abortion rate is so high is because there is no centralized standard for sex education implemented in Kansas public schools.
According to the Kansas Model Curricular Standard
for Health Education, abstinence-only education is taught in public schools across the state. Sexually transmitted infections are also introduced as very negative.
"I think that definitely has a lot to do with it, that the education is very much lacking here, as it is in a lot of other red states where abortions are similarly high," Rivas-D'Amico said. "People don't have the information necessary to prevent pregnancy."
In addition, RivasD'Amico said that she thinks there is a serious need for reproductive health services in rural areas of Kansas.
"Birth control should
absolutely be free, condoms should be free, they should be accessible, there should be a place in every city, every county, where you can go and get them," she said.
Cox said she agrees with the sentiment that there needs to more access to birth control for women.
"I think it's kind of ridiculous to expect no abortions to ever happen," she said. "In a perfect world, there would be no abortions. But until we can increase pregnancy prevention, I think there needs to be a stricter standard on one side or the other, either abortion or pregnancy prevention."
According to Planned
Parenthood's website, there are only two health centers in Kansas, one in Wichita and one in Overland Park.
Doan said the best way to prevent abortions is by providing women with access to contraceptives, and funneling resources to reproductive health and contraceptives.
"In Kansas, eliminating funding for abortion services, or eliminating funding to clinics that advocate for abortion or give referrals for abortion, mainly Planned Parenthood, also eliminates the other services that they offer as well," Doan said. "And that money oftentimes,
specifically in Kansas, doesn't necessarily get filtered to other types of health clinics."
This impacts women, especially of lower socioeconomic means, and their access to reproductive services, Doan said.
Looking to the future of abortions and reproductive rights for women, Doan said she thinks it will be controversial.
"I expect that we are in for a very contentious time around reproductive rights, certainly at the national level," Doan said.
- Edited by Erin Brock