By ANDREW HANSEN Editor Identical pieces of legislation pend- ing at the Illinois statehouse would help protect human traffickers while simultaneously harming victims of rape, incest, or other sexual violence. The legislation would repeal the Parental Notification Act, an Illinois law that requires a parent or legal guardian to be notified when a minor under the age of 18 seeks an abortion (the law now is only for notification, not parental consent). These pieces of legislation come on the heels of a statewide poll conducted by The Terrance Group that found 72 percent of Illinoisans favor parental notice when it comes to minors seeking an abortion even with a majority of the respondents identifying as pro-choice. The grassroots coalition Parents for the Protection of Girls hosted a press conference March 15 during which sev- eral doctors and parents discussed the severe ramifications if Illinois Parental Notification Law is overturned. Dr. Brook Bello, a human traffick- ing survivor who holds a doctorate in pastoral clinical counseling and is the founder of the anti-trafficking orga- nization More Too Life, recounted her grim experience of being trafficked as a minor. She stressed that paren- tal notice laws can rescue young girls trapped in a trafficking situation. If my mother had had to be notified, she might have been able to find me, Bello said. Laura Lederer, an attorney who has studied human trafficking for more than 20 years and has co-authored the preeminent study on the connection between human trafficking, health care providers, and abortion, The Health Consequences of Sex Trafficking and Their Implications for Identifying Victims in Healthcare Facilities , outlined how parental notice can raise a red flag on potential trafficking situa- tions when victims seek health care. Illinois current law on paren- tal notice of abortion offers a key opportunity to recognize and free a trafficking victim from a life- time of slavery, Lederer said. Dr. Jacque Pfeifer, a doctoral level psychologist with 28 years of experience in the mental health field, spoke of brain development and how a teenagers brain is not fully formed until they hit their mid-20s, leading to impulsive decisions. The majority of teens are not prepared to make long-term decisions due to their lack of mental capacity to reflect, synthesize, integrate, and project thinking into the future, Pfeifer said. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging research shows that adolescents use the rear part of the metallization network called the temporal sulcus in contrast to adults who use the prefrontal cortex. Jon Jones, the father of a teenage girl who also serves as a worship pas- tor at Christian Life Center, located in the Chicago suburbs of Tinley Park and Blue Island, spoke about the cur- rent law as supporting all families. I understand that not every child comes from a home like ours, Jones said. And the needs of those chil- dren must be met - as they are in this law with the provided exemp- tions to notification - but it is also important to weigh the needs of lov- ing families and ensure the govern- ment not do more to denigrate them. Those who support the current law also point to other legal and moral rights of parents and legal guardians to care for their children, including: Illinois law bans indoor tan- ning for minors; Illinois law bans a minor get- ting a tattoo or body piercing without parental consent; Minors cannot vote, purchase cigarettes, serve in the military, or purchase lottery tickets.
Statehouse abortion legislation would protect human traffickers, harm victims of rape, incest
Poll results show 72 percent of Illinoisans favor parental notice of abortion law.
9 Catholic Times April 4, 2021 DIOCESAN LIFE
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