What solutions for American women who want to have an abortion? If the Supreme Court overturns this constitutional right dating back to 1973, some American women could be forced to go abroad because states that continue to perform abortions – such as New York or California – would have too many requests and delays. longer.
Take the example of a woman who becomes pregnant in Michigan, this state in the northern United States. If the Supreme Court reverses the right to abortion, he could then inflict four years in prison for a voluntary termination of pregnancy, according to ABC News. To avoid such a sentence, this American could instead cross the border, drive a few kilometers, and be welcomed by a Canadian clinic. Legally, nothing prevents her from having an abortion in Canada. But there are several problems.
Already, you have to pay a fee, around 500 euros. Then will there be room? The manager of an establishment in Ontario, a neighbor of Michigan, interviewed by the Canadian newspaper La Presse, explains that he already has many Canadian patients and that he is not “able to handle a substantial increase in demands” coming from the United States. “Substantial”, because in Michigan alone, 29,669 abortions were performed in 2020, which means potentially thousands coming to Canada instead.
The Press also notes that on Tuesday, the Canadian association Women on web, which delivers abortion pills by post all over the world, recorded a “huge” spike in traffic to their site. It was Tuesday May 3 and the Internet users who watched were mainly from the United States.
We also know that American organizations have been trying for several months to forge links with Canadian clinics to help women in states that have already severely restricted access to abortion, such as Texas and Oklahoma.
For Americans who live in the south, they can also turn to Mexico. Moreover, clinics near the border with Texas received many calls on Tuesday. Getting an abortion in Mexico is cheaper than in Canada: less than 200 euros, but it’s more difficult. Abortion is only practiced in seven states and above all, it is very new.
The ultra-Catholic country only decriminalized abortion last year. The clinics must now be set up and the nursing staff must be trained. And while Mexico is moving towards improving women’s rights, the United States is backtracking.