Reproductive Rights
Our goal is to ensure that contraceptives and abortion are accessible for anyone who wants them. This fight is important not just for Virginians, but for people in neighboring states where abortion rights are limited.
What you need to know
At 99% safe according to the CDC, abortion is one of the safest medical procedures being performed today.
Nearly 1 in 3 women will have an abortion in her lifetime, according to the Guttmacher Institute, of which more than half are medication abortions.
A majority of Virginians oppose overturning Roe v. Wade and think abortion should be legal in most cases, according to a 2022 Christopher Newport University poll.
Everyone should be able to decide whether and when to have a child.
Our goal is to ensure that contraceptives and abortion care are legal and accessible for anyone who wants them. This fight is important not just for Virginians, but for people in neighboring states where abortion rights are limited. Virginia must remain a safe haven for people seeking an abortion.
Both before and after Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, anti-abortion extremists have continually attacked reproductive rights. Here’s how we’ve beaten back those efforts:
- In 2023, we lobbied the Virginia legislature to vote against 15-week abortion bans, defeating 13 out of 13 anti-abortion bills. As a result, abortion remains legal in Virginia.
- In 2019, we filed a lawsuit alongside the Center for Reproductive Rights and Planned Parenthood Federation of America to overturn targeted restrictions against providers, known as TRAP laws, including a 24-hour waiting period and a forced ultrasound.
- We’ve created a network of attorneys to help people under 18 request judicial bypass – a way to obtain an abortion without parental consent by appearing before a judge. Young people deserve agency over their bodies and their futures.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade , which protected abortion rights at the national level for more than 50 years, each state must decide whether it will protect the right to an abortion.
Join us and our partners in working toward a Virginia constitutional amendment protecting reproductive freedom.
MAKE A DONATION or BECOME A MEMBER to protect abortion rights in Virginia.
PETRONELLA'S STORY
Petronella unexpectedly became pregnant in 1995 at a time in her life when she had to choose between paying rent or paying for an abortion. She chose to get an abortion and was evicted from her apartment.
Working as a hotel clerk, Petronella took extra shifts to make ends meet and save money for college. At the time of her abortion, she had been accepted into graduate school and knew that she wouldn’t be able to continue her education if she became a parent.
She went to Planned Parenthood alone, past a sea of protesters who grabbed her by the arm and shamed her for her choice.
Now, Petronella is an advocate for safe, affordable abortion care. Her call to action for all of us is this:
"Let's keep fighting ‘til no one has to choose between rent and bodily autonomy."
The Latest
VRF Power Hour - August
VRF Power Hour - September
In a historic vote, constitutional amendment to protect reproductive freedom passes the General Assembly
Take Action
Today, years of hard-fought civil liberty protections are under threat.
To influence lawmakers, we need everyone to get involved. Here are 3 actions you can take today.
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