Statistics shine light on abortion access in Indiana, nation
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana accounts for roughly 0.9% of abortions in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Representatives of the American Civil Liberties Union say no matter what side of the debate you’re on that it’s important to have facts and, in this case, data.
An estimated 75% of overall abortion patients are considered to be poor or low income, according to the Guttmacher Institute, an agency focused on research and policy related to sexual and reproductive health.
Rima Shahid, executive director of Women4Change, said, “You know, people try to ‘other’ folks, and they say, ‘This is an urban issue’ or ‘This is a rural issue.’ Well, guess what? This is in Indiana issue.”
The full abortion access breakdown is broad, and impacts communities of multiple ethnic, educational and economic backgrounds. Additional information shows 40% of patients have some college education, 27% have a high school diploma and 23% are college graduates.
“Women’s issues are not limited to our reproductive organs,” Shahid said.
She follows legislation on women’s issues and points to a recent ACLU of Indiana campaign launch called Let’s Talk About Abortion.
“Three out of 5 Hoosiers know someone who has access to abortion care, which isn’t surprising because, across the country, 1 out of 4 women will have had an abortion in their lifetime,” said Jane Henegar, executive director of the ACLU of Indiana.
Using local surveys and data from CDC and other places, about 51% of Indiana’s abortion patients are white, 31% are Black, and 9% are Hispanic.
People in the early to mid-20s are also more likely to undergo the procedure.
The ACLU says, in addition to the campaign, it has a conversation guide available to people looking to expand the discussion with their friends and family.
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