Fundie-Ran "Crisis Pregnancy Centers"

[Kaylee]

I went to one of these places when I was pregnant, thinking they might be able to help me out because I was broke and realizing that my marriage had serious issues. While mine wasn't as extreme as hers, and I stopped going there after a few months because I had issues with a lot of the ideas they were spreading, I wonder how common this sort of thing is.

Quotes taken from:

http://open.salon.com/blog/tellingtosca/2011/05/17/the_pregnancy_cult

I was ask – do you feel safe in your home environment. I suddenly had that moment, where I knew this was my way out. I answered honestly – “No, it’s not safe. My husband is a fucking psychopath, and I need out.†This apparently was not the usual answer. I would love to tell you that the church group whisk me away to a safe place and got me and my unborn child away from that monster, but alas, no. I was given a lecture of wifely responsibilities and duties. I was told that I obviously was at fault for not letting him lead, and I was somehow aggressively subjugating his masculinity. I felt defeated, but this still seemed like a small escape to my otherwise closed-in and closely monitored existence.

...

I would be cornered in a small room with two lovely Christian ladies who would then tell me what a horrible person I was for being in such a marriage where I refused to accept my husband’s ruling with an iron fist. "Spare the rod and spoil the child is meant for the wife as well in some more difficult cases," they said.

[Koala]

These places are everywhere here.

I have two fundie aquaintances who volunteered for one of them.

If you've read it, unfortunately, it probably true.

[emmiedahl]

I considered going to one with this last pregnancy. I was under the impression that they probably gave out baby supplies/furniture and had a list of resources for pregnant women. (I found out I was pregnant with my fifth the same week that dh was laid off; I was supposedly unable to have more children so I had already given away my gear) A friend told me that if you are already planning on keeping the baby, they want nothing to do with helping you and will just give you Bible literature. If you are planning an abortion, they'll offer maternity clothes and an ass-load of guilt. Either way, no real help. In a crisis pregnancy, you need a crib and diapers dammit.

Not exactly what a Jewish woman with a crisis pregnancy needs.

I don't want to criticize help given by private agencies, I mean if they receive no public funds then they can decide who to help and why. They definitely seem to represent themselves as something other than they are, though.

[lilwriter85]

There are a couple of fundie crisis pregnancy centers in my area. A couple of years back there was a news article on one center and in the article it stated they helped women who planned on keeping the babies and woman who were going the adoption route. The only thing that this particular organization required was a statement of faith from the women who sought out help.

There are a few non-fundie and non-religous affiliated pregnancy centers in my area that are always getting awards and recognition.

[GenerationCedarchip]

Some of those sound perfectly awful. There are a lot of nurses in my family(or at least they were nurses until kids came) and most of them have volunteered at fundie-run centers at one time or another. Based on their stories, it seems to run the gamut. Some sounded like pretty much like a combination supply closet and counseling center except that there was prayer and religious material available - and no abortion info. One cousin of mine volunteered at a place where they bent over backwards helping out with clothes, diapers, etc.., but the head of the center would lecture unwed mothers about how sinful and dirty they were but then tell them how wonderful they were not to abort. Talk about weird and offensive mixed messages!

[Burris]

The deception goes deep in a lot of those places. I wish there were a Christian PCP I could actually support, but I have yet to find one that doesn't lie to women.

[hermione1975]

My 18 yr old niece called for birth control pills and received a 20 minute lecture on why she shouldn't use birth control. :roll:

Why not avoid any 'crisis pregnancy' and just take a pill?

Dammed if you do, Dammed if you don't.

[Childless]

I would never suggest anyone go to a crisis pregnancy center. They offer virtually no help and give out bad information. In most cases, you'll leave the center worse off than when you went in.

[ladypuglover]

I went to one years ago but I was dirt broke and just wanted to see if I really was pregnant or just late. I was asked if I planned on keeping the baby since I was unmarried and I said that it was a bad time in my life but yes, I would keep the baby. That baby is now 17 but I thought they were going to pressure me into giving my baby up for adoption. They started to until they found out that the father of the baby was a West Point Grad. Like that mattered?

[Lillybee]

When I first started working for Social Services, I sent a few young women to the local Crisis Pregnancy Centers. The ones I sent were homeless single mothers who weren't eligible to TANF until the last trimester of their pregnancy. The few who reported back to me said that the only things offered were some diapers and that was it.

[Jencendiary]

Any organization that does not offer full information on EVERY option a woman has during an unplanned pregnancy - abortion included - is a scam, no matter what other services they provide. (Or, more usually, don't.)

[bionicmlle]

I wonder what would happen if I, an educated, married (to a man) mid-30's woman went there "complaining" about my unplanned pregnancy? Would they offer me supplies to help my maternal/nesting instinct kick in or just pounce on me with scripture to make me rethink my doubtful approach to Jebus?

[booksnbeats]

One of the goals of those places is also to keep women in limbo until the pregnancy advances further, thinking that will make them less likely to abort.

In my town the crisis center is run by Catholic dudes (the Knights of Columbus or something like that). Way to make it more appealing!

[apple1]

Any organization that does not offer full information on EVERY option a woman has during an unplanned pregnancy - abortion included - is a scam, no matter what other services they provide. (Or, more usually, don't.)

Like it or not, agree or not, it is not a scam IF they are up front about what they do and do not do.

[Autumn]

These centers are not really intended to actually help women. They are intended instead to deliver potential converts to their doorstep. As soon as you identify as "Not a recruit" they loose interest in helping you.

Of course...it's not about saving babies anyway, it's about controlling women.

[Patsy]

apple1: Most of them are not in the slightest way upfront about their intentions, and will not even tell you if directly asked.

Autumn: To be fair, I have heard (anecdotal...) stories of women being helped by them, not just to stop them from having an abortion. I've certainly also heard that a lot won't bother to do anything if it's not preventing an abortion (in this thread ^ even)

[scifimommy]

I feel sorry for the ladies that go in there. They are already faced with so much stuff with the pregnancy then they have to listen to the whole speil about the center's beliefs, just to get some help.

[treemom]

I went to one years ago but I was dirt broke and just wanted to see if I really was pregnant or just late. I was asked if I planned on keeping the baby since I was unmarried and I said that it was a bad time in my life but yes, I would keep the baby. That baby is now 17 but I thought they were going to pressure me into giving my baby up for adoption. They started to until they found out that the father of the baby was a West Point Grad. Like that mattered?

Many of them are run by or house adoption agencies on site. One of my many problems with them is it is a conflict of interest.

[treemom]

Like it or not, agree or not, it is not a scam IF they are up front about what they do and do not do.

See also: most are not upfront about their heavy involvement in the adoption business.

[GolightlyGrrl]

A crisis pregnancy center just opened up down the street from me. I've never seen anyone go in there, and I rarely see anyone in their front waiting room. However, I do see plenty of women go to the legitimate women's health center across the street. Of course, I do live on Milwaukee's east side where all the sluts make sure to go to their monthly abortion parties. Snerk.

[sisof9]

I think a LOT of the methods that I have read about on here are SO wrong, and I would not support a CPC that employed those methods.

But, I don't think it's wrong for them to be upfront "We don't support abortion or the pill in any form"

[aubrietta]

there is one by my house too, and I fully intend to go get a pregnancy test done there next time I'm pregnant. I'll bring back a full report. You'll have to wait about two years though, because I would pretty much die rather than have another baby right now.

I had a friend with a true crisis pregnancy - her landlord even evicted her when he found out - he said it was for a valid legal reason on the paperwork, but it was totally because she was pregnant, but she couldn't prove it. She called their "crisis hotline" and the recording told her their office hours were Monday to Thursday, 9 am to 3 pm. Because, you know, all crises happen between 9 and 3 Monday to Thursday. She never called back because she was so annoyed by their crappy office hours. (and she ended up living with me for several months until she got back on her feet)

[GenerationCedarchip]

there is one by my house too, and I fully intend to go get a pregnancy test done there next time I'm pregnant. I'll bring back a full report. You'll have to wait about two years though, because I would pretty much die rather than have another baby right now.

I had a friend with a true crisis pregnancy - her landlord even evicted her when he found out - he said it was for a valid legal reason on the paperwork, but it was totally because she was pregnant, but she couldn't prove it. She called their "crisis hotline" and the recording told her their office hours were Monday to Thursday, 9 am to 3 pm. Because, you know, all crises happen between 9 and 3 Monday to Thursday. She never called back because she was so annoyed by their crappy office hours. (and she ended up living with me for several months until she got back on her feet)

Only open 9-3 - that stinks! At least the one here has a 24-hour hotline even if the office is closed. I see ads for it all the time.

[Love]

When I was 18, unmarried and pregnant with ZERO family support, I went to a crisis pregnancy center.

IT WAS AWFUL!

I called, thinking they would help me, and set up an appointment for a free pregnancy test. They told me that there were no strings attached and I could do the test and leave. When I got there, they took me to a room that was set up like a little nursery and left me there for about 20 minutes waiting for someone to come talk to me. There were pictures of new babies everywhere and a gestational chart on the way. It was tough sitting in that room - terrified of having a baby and being surrounded by all things baby. Finally a woman came in and I did the test. Surprise ! It was positive. They asked me what I was planning on doing. I told them I didn't know if I should have the baby, abort the baby, give it up for adoption etc. But that I was leaning toward abortion.

That's when they got WEIRD. They started showing me baby clothes and saying "see, isn't this cute. your child will look so sweet in these clothes". They also told that I would likely die from an abortion and that even if I did have an abortion, I would be left so helpless and in need of a baby that I would be pregnant within 12 months to sooth the heartache. They blocked the door with their bodies while they went on and on about jesus and adoption and how I would die or never be able to have children again.

I left as soon as I could get out of there, reeling from the interaction we had. It was a nightmare and didn't sway my final decision at all in their direction. If anything, It made me think there was no way I could be a parent and deal with 'grown ups' like these.

[doggie]

nothing like lying for Jesus.