The state Supreme Court ruled Monday upholding the current 15-week ban and allowing a six-week ban to take effect. May 1st This would effectively cut off access to abortion in the South, where neighboring countries already have near-total bans or severe restrictions on abortion.
Today, Florida is essentially an island surrounded by states. Abortion restrictions become even stricter Or a complete ban. According to state data, 84,000 abortions were performed in Florida last year, including thousands on women who had to travel from out of state.
Come May 1st, almost all women will need to look elsewhere.
“In the Southeast, the available clinics just can’t absorb that number,” said Laura Goodhue, executive director of the Florida Planned Families Alliance Affiliate.
Advocates warn that the law will close clinics and force women to travel hundreds of miles across state lines if they can afford it. Traveling is significant barrier Low-income women may end up carrying their pregnancies to term regardless of complications.
For those living in the southern Sunshine State, the closest clinics where you can get an abortion after six weeks are: charlotte, north carolina11 hours by car from Miami.
North Carolina bans abortions after 12 weeks and 6 days of pregnancy and requires a 72-hour waiting period.
If you need an abortion beyond 12 weeks, the closest states are likely: virginia or illinois.
Abortion funds, which cover costs for people who need to travel, said they don’t have enough resources to help everyone and those who need care will continue to need support. left behind.
“This ban will prevent people who need an abortion from getting one. I think that’s inevitable,” said McKenna Kelly, director of the Tampa Bay Abortion Fund. “We’re trying to cut off the remaining places in the Southeast where people can get abortions. And I think that’s going to have really negative consequences.”
