FRC Highlights New Abortion Demographic Analysis, Measure to Prevent Taxpayer-funded Abortion at Event in D.C.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the nation prepares to commemorate the 41st anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision, which legalized elective abortion on demand, Family Research Council held a lecture and discussion on two key aspects of the continuing battle for life at its Washington, D.C. headquarters.

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The Marriage and Religion Research Institute (MARRI), a project of the Family Research Council (FRC), released an analysis paper today entitled, "Demographics of Women Who Report Having an Abortion." The paper analyzes data from the federal National Survey of Family Growth, 2006-2010. The authors are MARRI Director Pat Fagan, Ph.D. and Visiting Fellow Scott Talkington, Ph.D. Talkington is also an author and fellow at George Mason School of Public Policy.

Introducing the study today, Fagan said, "We are pleased to release the pro-life movement's first-of-its-kind analysis of abortion demographics in America. We are confident that this analysis will help shape and inform the debate over abortion for many years to come."

Speaking with Fagan was longtime pro-life champion U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.). Smith, co-chairman of the House Pro-Life Caucus, spoke about his recent legislation, H.R. 7, the "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act," which would apply the Hyde Amendment permanently government-wide. The House of Representatives Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the legislation today.

FRC President Tony Perkins, who introduced the speakers, said:

"Chris Smith's leadership in the cause of life has been historic. Most Americans, regardless of their view on abortion, oppose government funding for abortion. The 'No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act' will make sure that the Hyde Amendment applies across the government, including fixing the abortion funding provisions in Obamacare. H.R. 7 will restore government neutrality on abortion.

"MARRI's findings on abortion further demonstrate why this issue remains at the forefront of our nation's policy debates. Abortion causes enduring pain to millions of American women, and the revelation that so many of them are so young is tragic. Bringing help and healing to America's young women and their families has to be coupled with public policies that will curtail this victimization," Perkins noted.

Among the MARRI paper's significant findings on women who reported having an abortion:

* The majority of those who abort have one abortion only: Whereas about five percent of ever-pregnant women report having two or more abortions, 15 percent report having one.

* Abortion occurs most widely among younger women: Among women who report having had one or more abortions, nearly half are 20 years old or younger, and three-quarters are 24 or younger.

* Women with multiple sexual and cohabiting partners have a markedly higher abortion rate: Nearly 90 percent of women who report one or more abortions have had three or more male sexual partners.

* Almost 60 percent of women who report one or more abortions have cohabited with two or more men.

* Abortion rate is lower among women from biologically intact or intact, adoptive families: Whereas about 26 percent of women from broken families report some abortion history, only 16 percent of women from biologically intact families or intact, adoptive families report abortion history.

* No marked difference in abortion rates across income categories, no clear relationship detectable between abortion rates and education: Abortion rates do not vary markedly among women of the different income categories assessed in this report.

* No clear relationship or pattern is detectable between abortion rates and women of particular educational attainment levels.

To read the paper, click here: http://marri.us/abortion-demographics

This event falls one week before the annual March for Life, and FRC's annual ProLifeCon, the premier conference for the online pro-life community. For more information about ProLifeCon, visit: http://frc.org/prolifecon

SOURCE Family Research Council