Host Anita Rao talks with abortion doula about how they help people with the practical and emotional parts of the abortion process and how their services have been affected by the overturn of Roe v. Wade. K谩Lyn works with the and is a writer, organizer and doctoral student at Virginia Commonwealth University. K谩Lyn also teaches in the Gender, Sexuality and Women鈥檚 Studies department.
Anita also discusses reproductive health and justice with , a healing justice practitioner, full spectrum doula and community educator who has provided trainings for folks interested in becoming abortion doulas.
Thanks to Amanda, Lynn, Deonna and Linden for contributing their thoughts and stories to this episode.
If you鈥檙e interested in finding an abortion fund or practical support organization in your area and learning more about what they do, these sites may be helpful:
1. Determination of Need
When an abortion fund or other reproductive justice organization receives a call for help, they determine the funds available for the client鈥檚 medical care and other needs.
鈥淲e have intake coordinators 鈥� and twice a week they open up the phone lines for people to be able to call, and then they assign volunteers to call the people back to see how much that the organization will need to pledge in order to help them pay for their abortion.鈥� - K谩Lyn Banks Coghill
2. Coordination of Practical Support
An abortion doula is assigned to a client to help with their transportation, childcare, lodging and food.
鈥淲e will cook food for people and deliver it to their hotels for them. I鈥檝e sat inside of a Planned Parenthood while someone was getting their abortion to watch their child for them.鈥� - K谩Lyn Banks Coghill
3. Emotional Support
Abortion doulas answer questions and make abortion seekers feel comfortable before and after their procedures.
鈥淐lients I've had in the past 鈥� sometimes they do want to talk about abortion, sometimes they don't. And then there's also times where they just want to be silent 鈥� you have to respect that as well.鈥� - K谩Lyn Banks Coghill
