Pacific Northwest abortion funds serve women from all over
Dobbs decision has led many women in other regions to use money that previously went to locals
The Pacific Northwest is heavily rural and has a population that is deeply affected by a lack of abortion access. That’s particularly true in Idaho, where women must rely on abortion funds to travel across state lines to get the care they seek.
Kate Cole, the hotline lead volunteer for the Northwest Abortion Access Fund, spoke to Repro Rights Now about what she’s seen since the Dobbs decision was announced. Cole said it was surprising who was using her funds–in that it extends outside the area they traditionally serve. She gets calls from Idaho, but she also gets calls from southerners who want first-trimester care in Seattle or Portland.
“It's definitely more a broader impact and a broader scope than I think maybe what people imagined,” Cole said.
Prior to Dobbs, the majority of their funds went to pay for the abortion procedure performed on women in the area. Most came from Idaho. They helped people with travel costs.
“Now, we're still having to do all of that, but in addition, (we have to) fly people from not just Idaho, but all over the country out to our area, which is a big cost increase,” Cole said.
Her organization and repro rights activists in the northwest are getting some help from local governments. King County, which is where Seattle is situated, has a council that pledged $1 million to help pay for abortion care for women seeking it in the area.
Cole said that bans across the country have impacted women and transgender men elsewhere. As many know, the wait times in states where it is legal have increased significantly. That increases costs and the potential danger for later-stage care.
“Dobbs certainly has a disproportionate impact on anyone who can get pregnant who lives in a state where abortion has been severely banned or restricted,” Cole said. “But it also has a ripple effect on people in those other states.”
Anyone who wants to donate to the Northwest Abortion Access Fund can do so here.