For Immediate Release
June 23, 2023
Contact: William Lutz 202-785-5100
Statement of Daisy Chin-Lor, Interim President and CEO, Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR)
Washington, D.C. — On the one-year anniversary of the Dobbs Supreme Court decision that took away the right to safe and legal abortion in America, IWPR stands with women everywhere to shed light on the harm caused by this cruel decision and to recommit ourselves to securing this most basic of freedoms.
“The one-year anniversary of the devastating Dobbs decision is upon us and a full year after the overturn of Roe v. Wade, we are only beginning to see the harm this cruel decision is inflicting on women in America,” said Chin-Lor.
“Since the Court’s decision, we have seen a cascade of restrictive state laws that have left only chaos in their wake. Millions of women have been stripped of ready access to abortion or been left scrambling to obtain care in other states. These are real women facing a new, cruel, and outright discriminatory world that sacrifices their reproductive health in favor of unpopular, far-right ideology. The stories of these women have become the sad hallmark of this shameful chapter in American history.
“The Dobbs decision also created a perilous new reality for the medical profession, leaving doctors wondering if they are opening themselves to prosecution simply by providing routine care to their patients. On this somber anniversary, we must also honor all the medical and clinic staff, organizers, activists, and others who have done extraordinary work to help patients find care in this harsh new reality.
“The past year has confirmed what we already knew: abortion bans hurt women and their families. But the impact of the Dobbs decision has been felt throughout society. The political landscape has dramatically changed and the economic impact of the decision is only just beginning to be felt. Earlier this year, IWPR’s Center on the Economics of Reproductive Health (CERH) released new research on college students and parents and the increasing role abortion restrictions are playing in college choice and their overall concerns about the future of reproductive health in the United States. And IWPR will soon be releasing new data on the impact of the Dobbs decision on state economies.
“A year has passed since Dobbs and the overturn of Roe and far too many people are suffering the consequences of this terrible and misguided decision. But in a testament to their strength, in the face of such a devastating setback, woman everywhere have doubled their resolve to stand up and demand their basic freedoms and hold accountable those responsible for taking them away.”
The Institute for Women’s Policy Research strives to win economic equity for all women and eliminate barriers to their full participation in society. As a leading national think tank, IWPR builds evidence to shape policies that grow women’s power and influence, close inequality gaps, and improve the economic well-being of families. Learn more at IWPR.org and follow us on Twitter.
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