Every day, each and every one of us is faced with choices. Sometimes they are minor– where to eat, what to wear, etc. Other times a single choice determines our entire future. To live is to make choices. For over four decades, we have supported victims and survivors of violence whose rights to choose, and therefore live, have been monitored, controlled, and stolen by those wielding power over them. 

We regularly bear witness to the horrific stories of reproductive coercion where children of unwanted pregnancies are forced into poverty and abuse. We have aided pregnant individuals in getting the health care of their choice. We advocate daily for survivors’ voices to be heard. Therefore, we were not surprised by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision, in June, to overturn Roe v. Wade—  a decades-old precedent that said women and persons with the ability to become pregnant have a constitutional right under the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment to choose privacy and bodily autonomy. Nor were we ill-prepared for Indiana representatives’ vote in favor of SB 1 earlier this month — terminating licensure of Indiana abortion clinics. Too often we have stood alongside the people treated as pawns of such systemic violence. 

The BIPOC, queer, and ally leaders from within our organization are actively engaged in creating a space to process what this historical shift away from gender equality and basic reproductive rights means for our clients and the communities we serve. We have formed a specialized, internal task force to ensure the following:

• Our team of advocates has the factual information they need to provide guidance to survivors that prioritizes their safety. 

• Our prevention and intervention curriculum are centering conversations that encourage bodily autonomy and consent-building. 

• Our community engagement and outreach efforts operate in conjunction with the changing needs of those who will be most impacted by these political decisions.

Abortions in Indiana are safe thru September 15th. Hoosiers across the state of Indiana will need safe and accessible resources in order to make already difficult choices regarding their healthcare. While we are prepared to continue our work to support basic reproductive rights for all, true systemic change needs all of us!

Here is what YOU can do:

• Stay Informed. Find factual and honest information about the impact of these decisions. We recommend the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana and the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence as two of the many trusted resources out there. 

• Be Heard. Engage the people in your spheres of influence by having meaningful and honest conversations about consent, bodily autonomy, and the importance of gender equality. 

• Vote! To register, update your voter registration, or get more information on who and what will be on your ballot this September visit Women4Change Indiana. 

🎉 Friday, August 26th, we celebrate 41 years of service to the community!

We hope you'll support our work with a gift donation in honor of our birthday. 🥳