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In This Issue:
Missing from the healthcare debate
Most abortions are unwanted or coerced,
plus post-abortion issues, including maternal death rates
Healthcare? Mothers Are Dying, Too
The "big picture" statistics of pregnancy- and abortion-related deaths, from homicide (the #1 killer of pregnant women) to high maternal
death rates.
Tools You Can Use
Educate the educators and leaders
Calendar of Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Learn More, Share More
Healthcare?
-- From unwanted abortions to high maternal death rates, abortion is endangering the rights and lives of women, too.
Things omitted are often more deadly
than errors committed. - Leo Buscaglia
 Sometimes it's what's not said that communicates the most important message.
In addition to failing to protect the rights and lives of the unborn, policymakers and leaders overlook something that is not a sidebar to the healthcare issue: high rates of unwanted, coerced or forced abortions plus injury and death to women and girls.
Abortion -- directly or indirectly; before, during or after the procedure --
is injuring and killing women, too.
Under the thin veneer of "health care," the unborn are at risk and women are dying, too. Most abortions are unwanted or coerced. Many face coercion and pressure to abort, which can escalate to violence or even homicide. Women and girls are at risk from botched abortions and psychological problems after abortion. And the media seldom reports that death rates are nearly 4 times higher among women who have had abortions.
In addition to the lost children, that's a lot of lost mothers, too. As important yet under-counted and under-reported pre-abortion and post-abortion abortion maternal mortality "numbers" are, evidence suggests that post-abortion death rates are vastly understated. Abortion puts women's rights and lives at risk, too.
1) Abortion-on-Demand Puts All Women at Risk of Unwanted Abortions
In America, most -- not some -- abortions are unwanted or coerced. Many are forced. Coercion can escalate to violence or even homicide. Hit men have been hired to kill the baby, the mother or both, putting women of all ages and from all walks of life at risk.
Coerced abortion is recognized by the UN as a violation of basic human rights.
The profitable abortion industry empowers abusers, sexual assaulters, killers, those who fail to support women and girls in need, and authority figures (in schools, workplaces and the helping professions) who abuse their power. You can learn all about this in our special report, Forced Abortion in America.
To tolerate unwanted abortions, deceptive, negligent or coercive counseling, emotional, physical or financial blackmail, and other abortion-related harm and heartbreak must be considered a human rights abuse, not "healthcare."
2) Mothers are dying, too: The "big picture" of pregnancy- and abortion-related death
In addition to the human rights abuse of unwanted, coerced or forced abortions, high maternal death rates must be part of any debate about healthcare, too:
 * Pregnancy-related violence or even homicide
* Homicide -- the #1 killer of pregnant women
* Botched abortions
* 65% suffer symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder
* Suicide rates are 6 times higher in the year after abortion among women who abort vs. giving birth
* Post-abortion complications, including death -- the rate of death from all causes is nearly 4 times higher
* Abortion mortality statistics are vastly under-reported and underestimated.
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Tools to Educate Leaders and the Public
 The Elliot Institute has distilled volumes of academic research and other expert information into compassionate, user-friendly tools that you can use to help educate and challenge leaders and others new to this issue ... especially those who call themselves "pro-choice" - unaware that most abortions are unwanted - an assault on both women and children.
Please share our materials or use excerpts, especially with leaders in various sectors of society, from schools to politics to pulpits. Here are a few helpful tools to educate anyone new to this issue:
What Every American Needs to Know
Portraits of Coercion
Forced Abortion in America Report
Forced Abortion in America Fact Sheet
Physical Risks Fact Sheet
Psychological Risks Fact Sheet
Sample Letters to the Editor
Small space ads or 8.5x11 ads and flyers
Educate and challenge policymakers and leaders to reject "healt h care" that doesn't defend the rights and lives of both the unborn and mothers, too.
These materials are backed by research and written in a compassionate tone that brings a holistic story -- about abortion's injustice and danger to both the unborn and women -- into focus. Keep reading for timely opportunities to leverage this message.
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Calendar: Upcoming Events and Opportunities
 What's coming up? State fairs, back to school (think lesson plans or youth groups), October pro-life events, holiday outreach/education, and January pro-life events. Plan ahead to leverage your outreach.
You'll find small ads, bulletin inserts, message cards and co-op ads and more in many sizes, formats and media, in color or black-and-white.
State fair and other seasonal fairs and events -- Use our "general education" resources to educate the public.
School prep! Resources for educators -- Share these educational materials with schools and educators for use in preparing lesson plans.
Back-to-School -- Teens page and resources or small ads that educate and warn parents, youth groups, educators, pastors, etc. about youth at risk.
October Prolife Events -- Signature ad, healing ads and materials, educational ads and other resources. See also T-shirts, stickers and rally signs.
December/January Holidays -- Christmas and holiday ads educate and promote healing.
January Prolife Events -- Signature ad, healing ads and materials, educational ads and other resources. See also T-shirts, stickers and rally signs.
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Learn More, Share More
These steps will help save lives while speeding the end of abortion's injustice and risk, and extending hope to those already hurt:
1) Learn More. Visit the TheUnChoice.com for an overview of this issue and user-friendly ads, educational materials, books and resources to download and share.
2) Tell a Friend or Leader. Link to TheUnChoice.com on your web site or blog, and ask others to do so. Ask leaders and friends to follow The UnChoice campaign on Twitter and Facebook.
3) Wear and share. Visit TheUnChoice message shop for bumper stickers, magnets, mugs and more.
4) Donate. Your donation supports research, education and outreach that document abortion's harm, save lives and bring a speedier end to abortion's injustice and danger to the rights and lives of both the unborn and women.
5) Volunteer. We have project-basis or ongoing volunteer needs that change regularly. Check our volunteer page for options if you feel called to share your time and talent.
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