Catholic Fire

A Kansas resident who has testified before legislative committees several times on her personal experience of being coerced into having an abortion asked Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to sign legislation that would tighten Kansas abortion laws. Michelle Armesto-Berge issued her plea at a Tuesday afternoon press conference in Topeka. She urged Sebelius to sign Senate Bill 218, which the Legislature passed last week. Armesto-Berge said she was manipulated by her parents to have an abortion at George Tiller’s Wichita clinic when she was 25 weeks pregnant. Armesto-Berge said her unborn child was poisoned before she was given a consent form, or before she filled out a medical questionnaire. The legislation would amend the late-term abortion law so abortion providers are more likely to be held accountable for their actions, and to follow the law. The legislation would amend current partial-birth abortion law so that it matches federal statute, and allow for civil-action suits to be brought against...

Few people know about widespread unwanted, coerced or even forced abortions in America. Few fully understand its heartbreaking, even deadly, aftermath for teens and women of all ages — especially when the abortion was unwanted, coerced or forced ... or if family, friends and even experts dismiss widespread coercion, unwanted abortions, injury and heartbreak ... or if they fail even to acknowledge those hurt or killed by pregnancy- and abortion-related violence or to acknowledge families who have lost a loved one in the aftermath of abortion. For decades, many women and couples seeking facts and assistance were denied help when they needed it most, pressured from all sides, or given false or misleading information from trusted health care providers, experts, parents and even pastors. Some were told there was no available help. Others were deceived about fetal development and kept in the dark about alternatives, even though studies indicate the majority felt pressured by others or rushed...