Check out the blog below by Warren Throckmorton, and the post listed with the same name as the above title. It mentions the fact that a letter Lumina sent to the APA addressing their new task force on post abortion trauma was an issue of concern given the fact that 3 of the task force members are very pro abortion.
Here is a copy of the letter I sent to the APA…not only dId I not receive a response, one member sent the letter back with "return to sender…harassment letter" written on the envelop…so much for unbiased research….
Feb 08
As a post abortion
referral agency that barely advertises but has referred over
two hundred clients in the past year due to negative psychological effects
surrounding an abortion experience, I am very concerned with the APA’s Task Force assigned to research
the correlation between abortion and mental health.
It is clear
that at least three members of the force are strong pro choice advocates and
are incapable of being unbiased in their conclusions concerning this issue in
spite of the fact that there is growing evidence to confirm the negative impact
of abortion on mental health. In light of this fact, this report is likely be a
great injustice to the countless women who have suffered psychologically and
may very well be, in the end, an embarrassment to the APA.
It is a
source of great dismay to those of us dealing with this issue on a daily basis,
that countless attempts continue to be made to discredit research showing
conclusive evidence that abortion, does in fact, have a negative impact on many
women. One has only to listen to the stories of the many women who visit our
program to testify to the truth of
these studies, yet, members of your force continue to deny this impact. Instead
of stating the growing truth, there
is an effort to portray a false image that women do not suffer significantly,
and if they do suffer is because of other issues, as if having an abortion
itself were not an acceptable reason for a grief, rage, depression, drinking, anxiety, sleep disturbances, self
blame, obsessive behaviors, or any other reactions women may employ to
"cope" with unresolved abortions issues!
In spite of
this strong attempt to silence the voices of those who have been hurt by
abortion, more and more women, who have in the past been silenced due to the
shame and guilt abortion brings, are finding healing and coming forward to
voice their experience and concern for other women. They know what it is like
to seek understanding and validation for their feeling in a society that
refuses to accept the harm abortion does. They also want to provide the entire
truth of the psychological risks to
those women who may be contemplating abortion. Members of your Task Force as
well as others, repeatedly try to make it appear as though these women were
suffering because of something else such as religious issues or relationship
problems, refusing the accept the fact that many women know and testify from personal experience that abortion itself
is the experience that has caused such emotional turmoil in their lives.
Moreover, statistical studies examining medical records for associations
between abortion and the symptoms reported by women affirm that this phenomena
is widespread enough to be statistically significant.
In the past, Dr. Russo and Dr. Major
have waived aside statistical correlations between abortion and elevated
rates of mental illness with the argument that "causal connection"
has not been proven. For women like myself who have had abortions, this
is deeply insulting. We are witnesses of the causal connection! We
are self aware, and we clearly understand the mental and emotional turmoil
which we experienced was directly due to our abortions, and our testimony is
true.
Historically, psychologists have listened to women and affirmed our insights
into our own emotional struggles. No one would accuse a victim of sexual
abuse of being confused about the source of her emotional turmoil. But
when it comes to women talking about their abortion experiences, now we are
suspect?!
Put simply, for years now Russo and Major have continued to ignore the fact
that our experiences and testimony have already proven a causal connection
between abortion and emotional problems–at least SOME women. Once that
point is accepted, it then becomes clear that the statistical associations
found by Fergusson, Coleman, Reardon and others is merely evidence that there
are enough women like myself and the women I help that our experiences are
statistically significant. There are more than just a few hundred
thousand of us. The data indicates there are millions of us!
It is my
hope, that you will intervene in this process, recognizing that it is impossible
to have an unbiased conclusion with people such as Dr.Nancy Russo and
Dr.Brenda Major, both strong pro choice advocates, on the force. In fact, given
their records, it is completely ridiculous!
It is a grave
injustice to women everywhere to continue to deny the feelings they have
experienced as a result of abortion. These women have already suffered enough
and deserve to have their feelings legitimized by the mental health field
instead of them adding to their distress by denying their feelings and not
making them feel crazy but I believe contributing to further mental distress by
their irresponsible behavior.
As a women
who not only directs the Lumina/Hope & Healing after Abortion referral
program, but had herself experienced the negative consequences of abortion and
sought to find professional help in dealing with it only to have it dismissed by counselors who were biased by false
reassurances like the much quoted claim "abortion trauma is a myth." I
believe, as a professional organization, the APA has a responsibility to be
certain the information and statements it disseminates is the truth instead of being the agenda of a few who want
abortion legal at any cost, even the cost of women’s mental health.
Sincerely,
Theresa Bonopartis
Lumina/Hope & Healing after
Abortion
Reclaiming Our Children: A Blog About Healing After Abortion 
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