Abortion Recovery InterNational describes itself as “the first and only Christian affiliate association that works to unite recovery centers, programs and supporting organizations around the world by serving as a network of recovery, awareness, educational and research resources providing information concerning after abortion issues.” As Justice Kennedy himself has admitted, there is no reliable scientific evidence that abortion causes women emotional harm. But you would think that a group that nevertheless believes abortion is always a “tragedy” would want to do everything it could to prevent unplanned pregnancies. It was therefore heartening when, earlier this week, Abortion Recovery InterNational seemed to affirm that by sending out this email message announcing May 6 as the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy:
I got pregnant as a teenager, weeks after graduating from high school. Living away from my family, on an island off the coast of California, I felt alone and scared. I didn’t call my parents for help. I didn’t call my Uncle Ben (a doctor) for advice. I listened to the baby’s father and people that called themselves “friends”. The decision that I made to lose my child to abortion 29 years ago, obviously can’t be reversed. It is one of my greatest regrets…
Those of you who know me, also know that I ran an federally funded abstinence organization for a few years. My staff of over 50, spoke to almost 38,000 students a year in over 250 schools here. It was an amazing time of my life ~ being able to share my tragedy of abortion and educate young people of their choices in life and integrity for their own sexuality. I’ve also written an abortion prevention curriculum called, “The Choice and Effect Project”… integrating the message of abstinence and the consequences of our choices. I’m hoping to have it published soon.
Those are a few of the reasons I am so committed to this Kingdom Assignment of helping people heal from the tragedy of abortion. I’m also convicted to the actions of “prevention”….
Tomorrow, May 6th, is the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. As part of the eighth annual National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, teens are encouraged to take a brief online quiz that will help them think about potentially risk-taking situations… before they find themselves in one. Created by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, the goal of the quiz is to help teens get smart and serious about risks, so they can avoid them before they find themselves trapped “in the moment.” The quiz describes real situations, and the teens can choose the answer closest to what they think they would do. Their answers are discussed and scored regarding the potential risks. The quiz is short and confidential; the National Campaign website that hosts the quiz includes a lot of good information that encourages young people to avoid early, unplanned pregnancies.
To take the National Day Quiz, teens can check: http://www.stayteen.org/quiz/.
The quiz is available during the month of May.
Let’s educate our youth, so our job at Abortion Recovery InterNational becomes unnecessary!
Thank you,
Stacy Massey
President/Founder
Please DO NOT Forward That National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy Link!
I owe all of you an apology and an explanation. I sent a link earlier today in regards to National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. In haste, I did not check the link as I received it from another Christian who I believe had done that….
I believe that the enemy is all over Abortion Recovery InterNational due to our upcoming Symposium! Please add the organization and our staff and families to your prayer lists.
Please disregard that link in our previous eVOice sent today.
Appreciatively,
Stacy Massey
It’s puzzling how she could blame her “mistaken,” yet lengthy and personalized message, on “the enemy.” In any event, her about-face is disappointing, if not surprising. Clearly, “actions of prevention” to Ms. Massey do not include equipping our teens with complete and accurate information. Rather, Ms. Massey would prefer to keep teenagers in the dark about sex, urge them to be abstinent until marriage, and then hope for the best. And if, as evidence shows, that approach proves unreliable, then teenage girls will simply have to become mothers. Surely they won’t suffer any trauma if that happens!
-Caitlin Borgmann (cross-posted on Reproductive Rights Prof Blog)
We retracted our email Caitlin because the link that we had previously provided referred young women, teens, etc. to Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood does NOT give young women all the information or choices available to them when confronted with an unplanned pregnancy.
Our organization sees over 40,000 people a year who are traumatized emotionally from a past abortion. It would be ridiculous for us to encourage young men and women to choose abortion, knowing that over 87% of them may have emotional issues afterward.
My mistake was not checking the link first, as I stated in my retraction. I DO personally believe in educating young people as to all of their choices. In fact I just completed writing a teen curriculum called: The Choice and Effect Project,
I also believe in educating individuals and families on the psychological, physical, social and emotional consequences of parenting, adoption and abortion. Planned Parenthood does not!
I’d be more than happy to discuss this further with you or any other of your comrades.
-Stacy Massey
President/Founder
Abortion Recovery InterNational, Inc.
http://www.abortionrecovery.org
http://www.abortionrecoveryinternational.org
Thank you for your response, Stacy. Do you believe in educating teens about contraception, as part of giving them comprehensive information about “all of their choices”?