A Year After Dobbs, More People Than Ever Are Traveling For Abortion Care
For Immediate Release: June 7, 2023
Contact: Claire Connolly, naf@berlinrosen.com
The nation’s leading abortion hotline reported a 235% increase in plane or bus trips and a 195% increase in hotel room bookings in the year following Dobbs
NATIONAL – Today, the National Abortion Federation, which operates the National Abortion Hotline—the leading multi-lingual abortion assistance hotline in the U.S.—released updated numbers about travel funded by the Hotline since the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court on June 24, 2022. Compared to the same period last year, the Hotline has seen an unprecedented increase in the need for travel funding for individuals seeking abortion care. The National Abortion Hotline shares information on providers, case management services, and financial assistance to help them afford the cost of care and travel-related expenses.
From July 2022 – May 2023, the National Abortion Hotline helped pay for:
- 1,090 hotel rooms for individuals traveling to access abortion care compared to 369 during the same period the previous year (a 195% increase).
- 982 trips by plane, train, or bus compared to 293 during the same period the previous year (a 235% increase).
- 674 rideshares compared to 134 during the same period the previous year (a 403% increase).
Veronica Jones, Chief Operating Officer, National Abortion Federation said:
“In the last year, we’ve seen more people than ever traveling to access care. This is no surprise, as abortion bans don’t reduce the need for abortion care – they just make it harder to access. Growing numbers of people are being forced to travel across state lines to access abortion care, which can mean missed work, as well as additional expenses for child care, hotel, food, and transportation. Unfortunately, even with the financial assistance and case management support we provide, too many people are still unable to access an abortion. Until we restore abortion rights for everyone and remove the barriers that made accessing abortion care difficult even before Roe was overturned, there will always be people without access to the care they want and need.
NAF is committed to helping anyone, no matter their income, race, or zip code, access abortion care. Anyone in any state can call the NAF Hotline at 1-800-772-9100 to understand their options and get the assistance they need, whether that’s information about a provider, arranging travel to another state, or funding their care.”
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The National Abortion Federation is the nation’s largest and leading professional association of abortion providers. NAF represents hundreds of providers and clinics across the country that are on the frontlines of abortion access. NAF provides members with trainings, security support, and guidelines that serve as the gold standard of abortion care. NAF also operates the National Abortion Hotline, the nation’s largest national, toll-free, multi-lingual hotline for abortion resources and travel and financial assistance in the U.S. Learn more at https://prochoice.org