Women’s experiences with protestors while accessing abortion care in Louisiana

Women seeking care at free-standing abortion clinics often encounter anti-abortion protestors. While women seeking abortion have reported that the presence of protestors constitutes a negative and even traumatic aspect of care, laws protecting patients from protestor activity vary. From June 2018 – January 2019, PRC faculty research associate Kari White and colleague Erin Carroll led a research team that interviewed 35 women who were seeking abortion care at Louisiana’s three facilities about their experiences accessing services, including any interactions they may have had with people outside the clinics. They found that the presence of protestors was disruptive and unwelcome. In some cases, protestors impeded care.Population Research Cente