The Center Honored with Vision Award

This month, the Center was honored with a Vision Award from the Abortion Care Network (ACN) during its annual conference. Janet Crepps, U.S. Legal Department Deputy Director, received a special mention from ACN and accepted the award on behalf of the Center.

The Vision Award is given to “person or persons who challenge the stigma of abortion in every day practice.” Since 1992, the Center has offered its legal services to abortion providers, often on a daily basis, as clinics battle both a well-organized anti-abortion campaign against them and constant legislative barriers.

“We are deeply honored to receive this award,” says Crepps. “The Vision Award recognizes not only our deep commitment to ensuring that abortion services remain accessible, but also our goal of having reproductive rights accepted and respected as human rights.”

Last year, the Center released a groundbreaking fact-finding report, Defending Human Rights: Abortion Providers Facing Threat, Restrictions, and Harassment, documenting a four-month investigation of challenges facing abortion doctors and clinics in six states: Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Texas. The research chronicles the death threats, break-ins at homes and offices and physical assaults providers face as they protect women’s reproductive health.

“More than any other organization they understand that the stigma of abortion in our culture generates barriers to care, danger to providers, and shaming of women,” said Amy Hagstrom-Miller, who presented the award and worked with the Center on the Defending Human Rights report.

Prior recipients of the award include Claire Keyes of Allegheny Reproductive Health, Elizabeth Barnes of Philadelphia Women’s Center, the Allentown Women’s Center Staff, and Andrea Ferrigno of Whole Woman’s Health in Texas.