Reclaiming Our Children: A Blog About Healing After Abortion

June 23, 2010

DES
MOINES, Iowa – A new study of women seeking abortions in Iowa has found
that almost 14 percent experienced at least one incident of physical or
sexual abuse in the past year. According Penny Dickey, chief operating
officer for Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, the results show the need for targeted screening practices to address intimate partner violence.

"And then, we need to go that next step and, for those who feel unsafe
in their current situation, we need to make sure we can direct them,
very specifically, to the resources that can help them."

Planned Parenthood of the Heartland partnered with the University of Iowa
for the research. Dickey says what they discovered stunned the
researchers. Before this first-of-its-kind study, she explains, those
who provide abortion services probably were not asking the right
questions.

"In general, providers tend to not ask their clients those questions
and women tend not to disclose information. But what we do find is
that, if you ask the woman, she will tell you."

She says researchers also found that most women have left their abusive
relationships before they seek abortions; and that just over eight
percent of abortion clients who are in ongoing relationships screened
positive for physical battering.

Dick Layman, Public News Service – IA