Elizabeth Benson Forer says Decision Restricts Rights of All Americans

LOS ANGELES – (June 24, 2022) – Following is a statement from Venice Family Clinic CEO and executive director Elizabeth Benson Forer regarding the Supreme Court’s decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case that eliminates the constitutional right to abortion established nearly 50 years ago in Roe v. Wade.

“The Supreme Court’s majority decision to overturn Roe restricts the rights not only of women but all Americans. By ending women’s and their families’ constitutional right to determine if, when and how they will raise their families, this dreadful decision will jeopardize women’s lives and health. The court’s decision also puts at risk a whole host of other rights, including contraception, same-sex marriage and transgender rights.

“While abortion will continue to be legal in California, some 36 million women in 26 other states have lost or will lose their access to abortion. Millions of women in need live in these states, and they can’t afford to travel to other states for abortions or their immigration status may make travel unsafe.

“As a leading provider of health care to people in need, we are compelled to speak out for low-income women and people of color who are most likely to lose this vital health care option: We join with them and the majority of Americans in calling on our elected leaders to make abortion safe and accessible for all women, regardless of where they live, their income or their immigration status.”

About Venice Family Clinic

Venice Family Clinic is a nonprofit community health center that is a leader in providing comprehensive, high-quality primary health care to 45,000 people in need annually, regardless of their income, insurance or immigration status. Having recently merged with South Bay Family Health Care, the Clinic now serves an area from the Santa Monica Mountains through the South Bay in Los Angeles County. The Clinic has 17 sites located in Venice, Santa Monica, Mar Vista, Inglewood, Culver City, Redondo Beach, Carson, Gardena and Hawthorne, plus two mobile clinics. Its comprehensive care includes mental health services, dental care, street medicine for people experiencing homelessness, vision services, substance use treatment, prescription medications, domestic violence counseling, HIV services, healthy food distributions, health education, health insurance enrollment, child development services and more. For more information, please visit VeniceFamilyClinic.org and follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.