A dangerous increase in violence and threats against pregnancy centers across the U.S. is playing out following the leaked Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Supreme Court opinion in early May, prompting the world’s largest network of pregnancy help to issue a safety advisory for the first time in its 51-year history.
In an attempt to thwart the Court and terrify those who offer life-affirming assistance to U.S. women and families, pro-abortion extremists have taken on an intimidation campaign since the May 2 leak of the majority opinion draft in the Dobbs case, which signaled the possibility that the Supreme Court could overturn Roe v. Wade.
Violence, vandalism, threats, and harassment against pregnancy help centers have continued since the draft leak, extending at times to include churches and church services.
Pregnancy help organizations and churches had been attacked more than 40 times in at least 20 states following the document leak as of June 15.
One in six pregnancy help organizations (PHOs) have experienced targeted harassment, according to an informal survey conducted by Heartbeat International, the harassment ranging from fake online reviews to vandalism, including destruction of property.
Heartbeat’s survey shows that abortion activists have acted in deceptive and dangerous ways to vent their anger over the impending Supreme Court ruling.
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Heartbeat International is the largest network of pregnancy help in the U.S. and globally, and its affiliates include pregnancy help centers and medical clinics, non-profit adoption agencies and maternity homes.
Heartbeat President Jor-El Godsey spoke to the basis for what is driving the violence and harassment of pregnancy help centers.
“The heart of our mission of pregnancy help has always been about reaching into spiritually dark situations to shine the light of truth,” Godsey said. “It's no wonder that this new season brings out very dark responses to our championing the light of life.”
The pregnancy help network surveyed its more than 1,900 U.S.-based affiliate locations, and of the 137 responses received and compiled to date, more than one in six organizations in over 20 states reported an increase in incidents targeting their organizations.
Of the organizations reporting incidents, a disturbing 20% reported property damage, more than 30% have seen an increase in fake online reviews, 20% have received angry calls, 10% have had protests outside their locations, and 6% have gotten threats.
“This anger is completely misguided as these pro-abortion vigilantes claim to be standing up for women while simultaneously obstructing women from receiving the pregnancy care they seek,” Godsey said.
“The time these centers must close in order to clean up paint or replace broken windows is time now that they aren’t able to serve women and families,” he said. “The women these vandals claim to care about are now being denied care due to what amounts as a temper tantrum.”
Heartbeat staff and leadership have remained in touch throughout with affected individuals and organizations, affiliated and not, to offer support, prayer, information, and tangible assistance. The Heartbeat team is resolute in its commitment to women and families and those who serve in the pregnancy help community, despite a U.S. Government and media steeped in abortion promotion as doctrine.
Pregnancy Help News covered the breaking news the day of the leak and has continued since, including Justice John Roberts’ subsequent condemnation of the leak, ordering of an investigation into it, and pledge for the Court not to be swayed by the leak, and also the resultant pro-abortion vitriolic fallout. Its coverage of pro-abortion violence in response to the Dobbs leak thus far can be found HERE and HERE.
The day following the leak, Heartbeat International sent notice to affiliates and supporters and produced an informational podcast on the leak.
Heartbeat released the Five Ways to Protect Your Pregnancy Help Organization resource to affiliates May 5 to equip centers for protests and incidents. The material encompassed security, policy, reporting incidents, insurance, and prayer.
Heartbeat began working with pro-life group Live Action shortly thereafter to share and compile incidents through a tip-line to consolidate reports.
Live Action has a running chronicle of the attacks.
Catholic News Agency has an interactive map of vandalism attacks at pro-life centers in the U.S. HERE.
On May 11 Heartbeat International hosted a prayer call for national leaders in the pregnancy help movement with more than 100 individuals taking part in the hour-long prayer session.
Five days later, on May 16 Heartbeat released Five More Ways to Protect Your Pregnancy Help Organization with further notes for centers. This follow-up communication incorporated the importance of security systems, developing a relationship with local law enforcement, different property considerations, policies and procedures, and importantly, the FACE Act.
Enacted in 1994, the Act was an answer to violent tactics by anti-abortion extremists. However, according to the FBI, pregnancy help organizations are covered under the FACE Act.
The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (“FACE Act) prohibits violent, threatening, damaging and obstructive behavior towards anyone obtaining or providing reproductive health services.
Thus, if protesters outside a pregnancy help clinic attempt to block or impede access to the clinic, to intimidate clients, or cause property damage, they are in violation of the Act.
Violators of the FACE Act could be fined or even imprisoned. The Act also provides civil remedies for victims, including compensatory and punitive damages, and also injunctive relief.
Additionally, the FACE Act provides for statutory damages, making it even easier to recover money from protesters who violate it.
It’s unclear how reports of violations will be handled within the DOJ, with the department’s official in charge of investigating alleged violations having publicly bashed pregnancy help centers during the NIFLA v. Becerra case. The case concerned a California law compelling pregnancy centers to promote and refer for abortion, the Supreme Court eventually deciding in favor of the pregnancy centers.
"The anti-choice movement will stop at nothing," Assistant Attorney General and Civil rights division chief Kristen Clarke said at the time, using the hashtags "#EndTheLies" and "#ExposeFakeClinics."
Pregnancy help organizations experiencing potential FACE Act violations are encouraged to contact Heartbeat to discuss their options.
On June 10 Heartbeat International issued its first ever official safety advisory to pregnancy help centers as radical groups such as “Jane’s Revenge” and other extremists persisted in calling for more attacks against pro-life entities.
Heartbeat followed up on June 15 with a webinar, What to Do if Your Center is Vandalized. In it, pregnancy help personnel were encouraged to ensure safety first when suspected dangerous activity has or is occurring at their center and call 911.
Other recommendations from the training were to contact local law enforcement via non-emergency numbers for non-emergent scenarios, alert their board of directors as soon as possible, preserve evidence, document damage, and contact Heartbeat International.
And threats of violence against pregnancy help organizations continue, with abortion extremist groups more recently intensifying national calls to action to attack pregnancy help organizations.
In its June 15 “communiqué” “Jane’s Revenge” said that “the leash is off,” invoking threats of intimidation toward any business partners of pregnancy help organizations.
The group said it was “open season” on pregnancy help organizations that have not assented to its demands and closed their doors to clients, threatening to ramp up attacks beyond “something so easily cleaned up as fire and graffiti” and pledging “increasingly drastic measures.”
Additionally, abortion supporters have consistently protested outside of some of the Supreme Court justices’ homes, a violation of a federal law prohibiting protests at the homes of court justices for the purpose of influencing the court.
And shockingly, a would-be assassin was apprehended June 8 outside of Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s home, confessing that he was there to kill the justice. The suspect was indicted for attempted murder.
The threats and violence have garnered the attention of the Department of Homeland Security, which issued a terrorism threat bulletin June 7.
There was a case of suspected arson May 25 at a planned abortion facility in Casper, Wyo. Federal authorities are offering a $5,000 reward for tips leading to the arrest of a hooded and masked woman seen on a security video carrying an apparent red fuel can through a room in the abortion center.
Despite the obvious preponderance of pro-abortion violence and threats, Homeland Security department’s memorandum attempted to equate terrorism between pro-abortion and pro-life factions.
Its document stated:
Given a high-profile U.S. Supreme Court case about abortion rights, individuals who advocate both for and against abortion have, on public forums, encouraged violence, including against government, religious, and reproductive healthcare personnel and facilities, as well as those with opposing ideologies.
A group of pro-life organizations wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland June 16 demanding action on the surge of pro-abortion violence, National Review reports, also citing the attempted assassination of Justice Kavanaugh.
Sixteen U.S. Senators had sent Garland a letter June 9 urging a DOJ response to the violence, and June 15 more than 100 Republicans in the House of Representatives called upon Garland to investigate the attacks.
National pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List Pro-Life America, which has also compiled a report on the attacks, issued a call the same day for President Joe Biden to unequivocally condemn them.
Until the Supreme Court issues its ruling on Dobbs, and most likely for some time after, the list of centers that suffer threats, vandalism, and harassment is expected to grow.
Pregnancy help organizations that have experienced harassment of any kind can contact Heartbeat International by emailing
Threats of violence or vandalism of a PHO can be submitted through the FBI Tip Line at FBI.gov. The FBI is also making available a resource booklet for pregnancy help organizations to utilize should they be the victim of a violation of the FACE Act.
Godsey emphasized the need for pregnancy help organizations to exercise caution, and preparedness and remain alert, while underscoring that the battle is the Lord’s.
“While we should maintain clear-headed vigilance,” he said, “we should not forget that we operate out of the victory that God has already established and promised.”
Editor's note: Heartbeat International manages Pregnancy Help News.
