Many of us in the pro-life movement will never forget where we were on June 24, 2022, the day the U.S. Supreme Court's Dobbs v. Jackson decision ultimately overturned Roe v. Wade. For decades, Roe had allowed abortion throughout our nation up until the moment of birth. This was a day that many thought they would never see – a day full of joy and hope for all who had been praying for an end to abortion. Now that abortion laws belonged to the states, that hope quickly turned into action. On August 25, 2022, HB 1280, the state's trigger law, went into effect making it illegal to perform abortions in Texas. Both legislative feats were incredible victories for innocent preborn life.
However, while many were saying that abortion had ended in Texas, we at Houston Coalition for Life intuitively knew that the fight was not yet over. While the laws seemingly changed overnight, the reality for women facing crisis pregnancies did not. Abortion remained accessible through out-of-state travel and abortion pills ordered online. The need for real support only grew.
And we saw that growth firsthand. In the months following Roe's reversal, visits to our Blue Blossom Pregnancy Centers surged – at times increasing by as much as 50%. In fact, we experienced so much growth that we launched two new mobile units, expanded our Curriculum of Life classroom, and had to purchase a new Big Blue Bus, which we could not have done without the generous support of our community. Since abortion became illegal in Texas, we continue to see a steady 20% increase in visits each year.
While navigating the post-Roe era has felt like unchartered territory, we now have some much-needed perspective that we can utilize to help us forward.
We in the pro-life movement must recognize that abortions have not ended in Texas. Since Roe was overturned and after 24 states added restrictions or banned it altogether, abortion numbers continue to rise every year. About 67% of abortions now occur via the abortion pill, which remains widely accessible nationwide. As a result, women in Texas are still obtaining it – often encouraged by places like Planned Parenthood to have it "just in case." This means that abortions are done more secretly than ever before.
It also reveals something that hardly anyone in the pro-life movement has acknowledged. Even though it is illegal to perform abortions or prescribe the abortion pill in Texas, it is not illegal for a woman to obtain, order, or take the abortion pill, nor seek abortion in another state. It is also not illegal to counsel a woman on where to obtain one. Planned Parenthood and other organizations selling abortions are well aware of this, which is likely why they have shifted toward a telehealth model – contributing to the continued rise in abortion numbers.
While we believe women are not given all the facts about abortion, we cannot continue to ignore this grievous loophole that the abortion industry is using to their advantage. Innocent children continue to be flushed down toilets, while women are being traumatized by their own hands.
We in the pro-life movement must recognize that the fight for life goes beyond the ballot box. Ending abortion has always been and will always be about the heart of a mother and a society committed to protecting every innocent human life from the moment of conception. Yet, over the last 50 years, our culture has steadily weakened both.
The challenge we continue to face is reaching women quickly in a world where an abortion is just a click away. We must adapt in new ways to reach women when and where they search for help. While we increase our online presence, we will never lose sight of the real, practical help found in our churches, communities, and pregnancy centers that changes lives every day. We must always strive to create a culture of truth and love so that all life is protected and cherished.
We cannot afford to become complacent. Saving women and children from the grief and devastation of abortion requires a deep understanding of the challenges we still face. We must be honest about the full scope of the issue in order to move our mission forward. We are deeply grateful for every prayer, every volunteer, and every act of generosity that makes this work possible. We truly cannot do this without you.
We believe we are making progress not only because of the brave people fighting for life at every level, but also because God's handprints are on each of our hearts, whether we recognize it or not. As some of our bilingual staff members say to remind women who are considering abortion, "En tu corazón, ya sabes." Translated, this means "In your heart, you already know." Deep down, most women already know that abortion is not the answer, but the world (and the Enemy) knows how to repeat lies so that a woman denies her heart and the life of her child. We must continue to stand for life now as much as ever until every innocent human life is loved and protected.