Could abortions be done on a boat?
San Francisco gynecologist proposes that reproductive care done on international waters
With many reproductive health clinics closing in the Deep South, the idea that such healthcare could be provided on a boat on the Gulf Coast had been floated by Dr. Meg Autry, a gynecologist and medical researcher based in San Francisco.
She was inspired after thinking about gambling boats that traverse the Mississippi River.
“I’m just thinking there must be something about the laws of the water that allow gambling that is not okay on the land,” Autry said.
She consulted maritime lawyers. As the abortion issue dominated the news, the team ramped up its investigation and focused on the Gulf Coast because of how many restrictive states there were pertaining to reproductive care.
The idea has precedent. Women on Waves is an international boat that provides abortions. It began in 1999 after Dr. Rebecca Gomperts worked as a physician on board Greenpeace's ship, the Rainbow Warrior II. In South America, Gomperts met many women who greatly suffer both physically and psychologically due to unwanted pregnancies and lack of access to safe, legal abortion. There were women who were raped. There were women who had no means of support, according to the website for the service.
The vessel that Autry proposes would be in federal waters. One of the major issues that Autry anticipated was security. They wouldn’t have to deal with torpedoes, but there certainly would be an effort to sink ships that provided abortions.
They are currently looking for donors and funding on its page.
“It's very well researched,” Autry said. “So if we have the funding, it can happen. That's what we're working on and our response from small donors has been phenomenal. And so we're having discussions with people that could make it happen quickly. It's not a publicity stunt.”
This is not a good idea; It did not work for Women on Waves whose boat was pretty much stopped in each of the countries it attempted and WOW now does mail order pills. In the US the possibility to travel to Mexico for an abortion or to adjacent states does and will continue to exist. The financial estimate for the US boat is an unconscionable financial expenditure. That money would better be donated to abortion funds and for travel and other expenses. Boarding a boat that is in international water requires getting to it from a dock on intermediary transport where it might be illegal. Women will be subject to media and to protesters. A cute idea but wrong headed.