Right to Life Indy leader discusses pro-life movement in Indiana

By Natalie Hoefer

A Jan. 18 online panel discussion sponsored by Georgetown University’s Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life addressed the pro-life movement in terms of politics, law and grassroots efforts to support unborn children and their mothers.

The Criterion spoke with Right to Life Indianapolis executive director Marc Tuttle on how the topics apply to Indiana.

In terms of legislation, he said, “Even as we marched to the Statehouse [during the Indiana March for Life in Indianapolis on Jan. 24], the Indiana House was voting on legislation that would make it a felony to coerce a woman into an abortion, and it adds teeth to the statutes that require abortion facilities to help women who are being forced or coerced into abortions.”

Tuttle noted that a compilation of studies by the Seattle-based Eliot Institute has shown that upward of 64% of women who have abortions feel pressured or coerced.

“Pro-lifers and pro-choice advocates should be able to agree that it shouldn’t be an abusive boyfriend, parent, employer or landlords who decides a woman should have an abortion.

“Most women don’t want abortion. They feel trapped, and so the single most important thing we can do to support women is pass legislation that protects them from abuse and coercion.”

He also stated that, with each legislative session, “our system of social support becomes more and more directed toward pregnant women and moms who have recently had a child.

“But we, of course, can do better—most women who have abortions already have at least one child. We as a state need to dedicate ourselves to see that these moms are supported and given all the resources they need to have happy, successful families.”

As for the need to depoliticize the pro-life issue, Tuttle believes that “once the basic recognition of a preborn child’s right to life is placed in law and recognized by both parties, the different philosophies regarding how we can best protect and support moms and their babies will complement each other.

“But until human rights are recognized by both parties’ platforms, the primary focus of the pro-life movement will be supporting those legislators who are committed to restoring a right to life.

“The pro-life movement has to reinforce the humanity of the preborn child publicly, and fight for the respect for the right to life well before women find themselves in a crisis pregnancy. Abortion has to become unthinkable in our society, and for that to happen we have to boldly proclaim the truth about preborn life, as well as about abortion itself.”

One powerful source of showing support for both the unborn and their mothers are pregnancy care centers, said Tuttle.

“Pro-life pregnancy resource centers in Indiana outnumber abortion facilities by a ratio of about 5-to-1,” he said. “Supporting these centers and letting women know that help is available through our churches, resource centers and maternity homes will encourage women to seek the help they need.” †