Help, Healing, Research, Education and Advocacy
Theresa Burke with David C. Reardon The following is excerpted from the book Forbidden Grief: The Unspoken Pain of Abortion by Theresa Burke and David C. Reardon. It has been my experience that a high proportion of women suffering post-abortion trauma also have histories of molestation, sexual abuse, or incest. Most other post-abortion counselors with […]
By David C. Reardon, Ph.D. “How can you deny an abortion to a twelve-year-old girl who is the victim of incest?” Typically, people on both sides of the abortion debate accept the premise that most women who become pregnant through sexual assault want abortions. From this “fact,” it naturally follows that the reason women want […]
Forced Abortions in America: The Hidden Epidemic Springfield, IL (July 12, 2004) — The epidemic of coerced, unwanted abortions is rarely reported. Yet every week, thousands of girls and women face threats and abuse from people who want them to abort without regard for their own feelings or desires. A homeless woman was denied shelter […]
Women Who’ve Been Pregnant Through Sexual Assault Plead For Public Hearings SPRINGFIELD, IL (June 23, 2004)– A group of women who have experienced pregnancies resulting from rape or incest are petitioning Congress and state legislatures to hear their stories, saying women who become pregnant from sexual assault don’t want or need abortions. The petition comes […]
Suicide Rates Triple Among Young Women — Could Abortion Be a Factor? The National Institutes of Health reports that suicide is now the third leading cause of death among American young people, and has tripled among teen girls and young women in the past 25 years — despite a drop in the overall suicide rate […]
Host of New ” Television Series Comments Springfield, IL (Jan. 4, 2004) — “The abortion industry is a house of cards ready to collapse,” said David C. Reardon, Ph.D., host of a new television program that will premiere in January on the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), during the week of the anniversary of Roe […]
Women Are Concerned About Violence, Not Abortion — But Abortion Advocates Are Not Addressing the Violence of Unwanted Abortions Are abortion advocates really concerned about women? Or are they fixated on an outdated and harmful agenda that is opposed by most American women? The answers to these questions are suggested in a new poll conducted […]
By Amy Sobie Kay Zibolsky is the founder of Life After Assault League, an organization dedicated to ministering to victims of sexual assault. In 1957, Kay herself was raped and became pregnant at the age of 16. She gave birth to her daughter, Robin, and placed her for adoption when she was 18 months old. […]
Book Review The Sorrow of Sexual Assault & the Joy of Healing Kay Zibolsky ISBN 1-931727-10-4 (128 pp). Published by Bridge-Logos Publishers, 1 (800) 631-5802, www.bridgelogos.com. To order, contact your local Christian bookstore. In talking with people about abortion, pro-lifers often find themselves confronted with the question, “What if a woman has been raped?” To […]
Always Two Melanie Fyock The mother and child logo shown here was inspired by Dr. David Reardon’s book, Making Abortion Rare.It was created to represent the tragic fact that abortion always has two victims, because you cannot hurt the child without hurting the mother. The two are one and can only be separated by doing […]
By Amy R. Sobie and David C. Reardon, Ph.D. About 20 percent of all abortions taking place in the U.S. today are performed on teens.(1) Teenage abortion has been linked to a number of physical and psychological problems, including drug and alcohol abuse,(2) suicide attempts and suicidal ideation,(3) and other self-destructive behaviors. Compared to women […]
Volume 9, Number 1, January-March 2001 Download Issue (pdf format) Contents: Detrimental Effects of Adolescent Abortion An examination of the effects of abortion on teens compared to older women, and the need for parental consent laws. British Government Orders Murder of Innocents The perils of the new British cloning law. Ban on Human Engineering Needed […]
By Brent Rooney, MSc “When Emily was ten months old, her doctor told us he thought we should have Emily evaluated for ‘possible mild cerebral palsy,’” said Sandra. “I suddenly found myself at the beginning of a whole new emotional roller-coaster ride. My jaw dropped, my face felt immediately on fire, my eyes filled with […]
Letters to the Editor Breaking Down Walls Keep up the good work! The last few issues of your newsletter have been great. One of these days we’ll break through the wall of denial surrounding those who think that making abortion legal made it safe and healthy for women. Anne Burns Reframing the Issue Your recent […]
[Update: This article was initially published in 2000. For the latest information about studies on the impact of abortion, see our research and news releases pages.] Population controllers have long insisted that abortion is healthier for women than childbirth. A host of studies examining the effects of abortion, however, have proved otherwise. Women who have abortions […]
By David C. Reardon, Ph.D. “What is your position on abortion?” Since she already knew his answer, Barbara Walters’ voice echoed tones of both pity and glee. Governor George W. Bush was about to be exposed as an enemy of “choice.” “I’m pro-life,” Bush answered. Then silence. Walters allowed the conversation to hang for a […]
By David C. Reardon, Ph.D. On March 1, 1989, Erica Richardson, a 16-year-old Maryland resident, bled to death from a punctured uterus only hours after undergoing an abortion. During the next five months, two adult women, Gladys Estanislao and Debra Gray, also died from abortion complications. They too were residents of Maryland. Shockingly, none of […]
By Amy Sobie & David C. Reardon, Ph.D. Gaylene was 14 when she became pregnant. She turned to her high school guidance counselor for advice. She writes: [The school counselor] was sympathetic and understanding. He felt there was no need to worry my family. He also explained about having a child, how tough it would […]
Volume 8, Number 1, January-March 2000 Download Issue (pdf format) Contents: Who’s Making the Choice? Women’s Heightened Vulnerability During a Crisis Pregnancy How and why women are manipulated into unwanted abortions. A Generation at Risk: How Teens Are Manipulated Into Abortion At look at how and why teens are especially vulnerable to coercion. The Many […]
It’s scary to talk about an abortion experience with others. What if they don’t understand? What if they condemn you, withdraw from you, or start acting weird whenever you’re around? These are all reasonable fears. We have them because it is important for all of us to see and feel that people around us care […]
By David C. Reardon, Ph.D. Polls show that while 80 percent of Americans agree that abortion is killing a human life, most also believe abortion should be legally accessible, at least in some cases. Many of these people accept abortion as an “evil necessity.” Others tolerate it as an “unavoidable evil.” They buy into the […]
By Theresa Karminski Burke with David C. Reardon Experts agree that during the past 25 years the rate of child abuse has increased dramatically. Between 1976 and 1987 alone, there was a 330% increase in reported cases of child abuse. While a portion of this increase is due to better reporting, experts agree that these […]
Biographical Sketch David C. Reardon, Ph.D. David C. Reardon, Ph.D., director of the Elliot Institute, is widely recognized as one of the leading experts on the aftereffects of pregnancy loss on women. He is the author of numerous books and popular and scholarly articles on this topic, including the most comprehensive summary of the medical […]