AOT Collaboration results in multiple major prolife victories

In the summer of 2020, sidewalk advocates with the Southwest Coalition for Life struggled to get access to women considering abortion at the Women’s Reproductive Center in southern New Mexico. The abortion facility was being guarded by a paid security officer, Bert, whose behavior put both the women and advocates at risk. Bert was eventually caught on camera sexually harassing young female advocates, and those advocates brought that video to Abortion On Trial. We strategically released it, along with demands for removing the guard we found had a criminal past of a sexual nature. After dozens of calls from the public and a letter from AOT’s attorney demanding Bert be removed from his position at the facility, those demands were met, and the sidewalk was free from that sexually harassing guard prohibiting communication between advocates and women.

But the collaborative wins didn’t stop there. With Bert out of the way, advocates like Jessica with SWCL are again able to offer help to women as she did with Jane Doe, who was arrested after a botched surgical abortion. Not only was Jessica able to reach Jane with offers for help, she had AOT’s attorney on the phone advising on the next steps, and Jane has had caring legal representation from that moment on. Our attorney fought tirelessly for over 120 days just to get access to Jane’s medical records and eventually won her a dismissal on the criminal charges the abortion clinic pursued against her. Again, in a cohesive effort with the advocates on the scene who documented the event, AOT released a video of Jane’s arrest exposing the abandonment and subpar care she experienced in trusting Franz Theard’s abortion Clinic. SWCL advocates recently played that video for a mother considering abortion...and we are thrilled to share that mother chose life and safety for herself and her baby. It has also just been confirmed that Franz Theard’s facility is no longer performing surgical abortions and has lost a massive portion of their patient load and income. Mark Cavaliere of Southwest Coalition For Life says, “Our partnership with Abortion on Trial has been providential and game-changing. In addition to connecting women and couples to the free pregnancy care and resources to help them choose life, we have now been able to connect women to free and compassionate legal support to empower them to seek justice against the corrupt and predatory abortion industry.”

Mark continues, “Their counsel, defense, and training have helped our staff feel more confident, safe, and motivated to help women and end abortion in our community. Because of our collaboration, Abortion on Trial has added two lawsuits, medical board complaints from women leading to a formal investigation, an OSHA complaint, and staff turnover at abortionist Franz Theard's last remaining abortion facility. Following the closure of his main center last year, plus our full-time staffed outreach and newly launched Medical Ultrasound Bus, it is not a matter of 'if' but just a matter of 'when' abortion is no longer a profitable business for Franz Theard.”

The work we are pursuing here at Abortion On Trial is about far more than just winning lawsuits against abortion providers. The goal for our team isn’t just to win cases but to bring awareness, safety, hope, and ultimately to save lives. Through the continued legal pressure on providers, legal defense for advocates, and legal support for women hurt by abortion, we will continue to see positive results like those we’ve seen come from the collaborative efforts of AOT and the Southwest Coalition For Life.

If you’d like to collaborate with AOT in your town, email us at info@abortionontrial.org