Abortion rights topic of speech
Tasha Eichenseher
Organ ft** Emerald
Nightmares of ’‘those pitchy
stairs and that dank, dark hall
way" that led to the office of an
abortionist practicing illegally,
haunt Sharry even 30 years after
her operation.
Sharry. whose last name was
not revealed, described in a let
ter how no professional doctors
in the mid-t950's would termi
nate her unwanted pregnancy,
which was the result of a brutal
rape She had no choice but to
risk her life for an abortion
when she was 23, Sharry w rote.
Kathryn Kotbert, vice-presi
dent of the New York City-based
Center for Reproductive Uw
and Policy, read Sherry'* letter
in an emotional speech at the
University Law Center Friday.
She used the letter to illustrate
how women in the past have
boon denied reproductive rights
by the law.
Now women's reproductive
rights are being threatened hy
violence directed at abortion
providers, Kolbert said in her
keynote address.
The violence, as well ns anti
abortionist politicians, is threat
ening to bring us back to a time
of back-alley abortionists and
dirty scalpel*, Koltiert said.
Despite great strides made in
the 1973 supreme court case Roe
v* Wade, membership in pro
choice organization* ha*
dropp'd since along with
the number of hospitals in non
urban areas providing abortion
services, according to Kolbert
Killing abortion clinic
employees, harassing doctors
who perform abortions and
bombing abortion facilities are
condoned by people who assoc i
ate the violence with a "war"
between anti-abortionists and
pro-life supporters. Kolbert said
"I reject thai description of
whal is happening,** said kol
hort. who paralleled the vio
lence directed a! abortion
providers to wife haltering
instead. It is all part of a plan to
control women, she explained
Battered women and abortion
ists are caught in the same cycle
of self-blame, shame and feeling
of powerlessness, she said.
People should not feel
ashamed about providing and
receiving abortions. Halbert
said. "In my view it is a neces
sary medical prac tic e "
Because of consolidated
health care agreements, such as
the proposed Sac red Heart merg
er, women may not roc oive all of
the information and services an
obstetrician-gynecologist or fam
ily practitioner should provide,
kolbert said.
Kolbert said she was happy to
sw the story, "Sacred Heart OK*
abortion pact” in Friday's Thr
Hegis/rr Guard, which stated the
merger would allow doctor* to
provide abortion service* She
want* to read the fine print,
however, before deciding tf the
pact i* helping women obtain
their full reproductive right*,
she said.
What is Kolbert s solution to
the threat posed bv the anti
abortion movement?
Keep fighting, she said
"The passage of anti-choice
luallot measures, parental notifi
cation laws and. most alarming,
the appointment of anti-choii e
federal judges, are frightening
signs that the minority voice is
feting heard and taken serious
ly." Sham wrote
"Hut what about the other
voices An overwhelming
majority of Americans about
eight out of 10 - are pro-choice
.. Listen to their voices "
Kolbert, who spoke at
"Women Influencing the Law.''
a conference sponsored by the
University School of Law and
the Women's Law Forum, was
counsel of record in the 1992
Supreme Court Case. Planned
Parenthood of Southeastern
Pennsylvania vs Casey The
decision in that case reinforced
the Roe \s Wade det ision.
Panels discuss women’s legal needs
Jennifer Carr
Fo> P>e Oepon Daily Emerald
Law professors, practitioners, state legislative
representatives and women’s rights activists
offered encouragement to women and criticized
the legal system for not being responsive enough
to the legal needs of women in our society at a con
ference sponsored by the Women’s Law Forum at
the University last weekend.
A speech delivered by Kathryn Kolbert. a lawyer
and vice president of the Center for Reproductive
low A Policy in New York, started the conference
on Friday. On Saturday, panel discussions focused
on free speech and security at abortion clinics,
domestic violence and whether legal professions
require women to become more like men in order
to succeed.
Jude Hanzo. director of the Feminist Women's
Health Centers in Eugene and Portland, argued
that although our governments have recognized
the violence and problems abortion clinics face,
they are not taking the escalating violence at clin
ics seriously enough.
"A lot more needs to be done.” Hanzo said.
"Clinics all over the country are under siege."
Hanzo discussed the events that led her to obtain
an injunction against anti-abortion protesters at the
Portland clinic. The injunction created a 25-foot
buffer zone around the front entrance to the clinic,
which increased the ability of patients to enter and
leave without being accosted by protesters
Hanzo said her clinic was targeted every day by
anti-abortion activists who did more than just
(zirry picket signs and yell obscenities at patients.
The clinic's electrical and phone wires were cut. a
fire was started in its dumpster, its windows were
continuously broken and assaults, trespassing and
vandalism almost became daily occurrences. One
patient almost died while paramedics carried her
into an ambulance.
"We had to look all around the building before
we started work." Hanzo said. "This was a daily
thing, and it was not uncommon to find something."
Panelists argued that our court systems not only
fail to recognize women's rights at abortion clinics
but also fail to protttt t women from physical and
mental abuse.
Caroline Forwll, a University law professor. pr»>
stmted a video by Sarah Buel, a prose* utor, law pro
fessor and survivor of spousal abuse and spousal
beatings. Duel's video said society needs to stop
blaming women for staving in abusive relationships
and needs to start providing women with informa
tion and services they need to esoape
Buel said women go back to their partners over
and over again because they don't know what else
to do. Society has not made it possible for women
to escape.
Shelters, financial aid and child care are just
some of the basic services our communities need
to provide to abused women.
Forell said she hopes that something will be
done about domestic violence now that our cur
rent federal and state governments have put crime
high on their political agendas
Denise Fjordheck, an attorney with the Oregon
Department of Justice, Fnvironrnental and Com
mercial Litigation Division, argued that not only
do women face discrimination in the law but face
discrimination as legal professionals as well
"Things have gotten easier for women in the
legal profession but not better," Fjordheck said.
“The number of women lawyers is increasing and
the number of women in Judicial and leadership
positions has skyrocketed."
Fjordheck argued, however, that although
women are increasingly present in legal profes
sions, they do have to become more like men in
order to succeed
"You need to be tough, calm, cool, collected,
strong, work with men and work twice as hard as
a male lawyer." Fjordheck said "Men lawyers will
not consider you to be the same or as good as them,
but you can intimidate them if you try to he."
One difficulty in measuring the level of success
is women and men consider success to he different
things A current survey, focusing on law students
at the University, concluded that women associate
success with family and community, whereas with
men success means money, position and power.
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