Meg Autry, a California doctor, has presented a unique alternative to patients seeking abortions in southern states where laws have been imposed since Roe v. Wade’s decision. The obstetrician and gynecologist, and professor at the University of California, San Francisco, said that the concept is to provide a clinic on board a ship, out of reach of state regulations, that would perform first-trimester surgical abortions, contraception, and other treatment.
Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, all of which have abortion laws, are geographically remote from states where abortion is allowed. New Mexico, for example, is one of the closest states to Texas for authorized abortion procedures, and it’s only a 10-hour journey from Dallas. Also, following a judicial battle, Florida’s state law outlaws abortions after 15 weeks, with exceptions if the procedure is essential to preserve the pregnant woman’s life.
Autry proposed a floating abortion clinic in the Gulf of Mexico as a way to provide access to people who would otherwise have to travel considerable distances to receive care. According to its website, the proposed ship, dubbed PRROWESS, would be exempt from state restrictions and provide first-trimester surgical abortions, contraception, and other services.
Protecting Reproductive Rights of Women Endangered by State Statutes (PRROWESS) is an acronym that stands for Protecting Reproductive Rights of Women Endangered by State Statutes. The proposed clinic is still in the planning stages. According to Autry, at least $20 million is needed to bring the “complete” all-in-one clinic concept to fulfillment.
Autry’s legal team believes there is a section of federal water where certified providers might deliver abortions safely and legally, outside of the authority of state laws. The doctor explained the reason they were working so hard on the project was because wealthy people in our nation will always have access [to abortions], so it’s now a moment where the poor, people of color, and the marginalized are going to suffer, and maybe lose their lives.
The project is being funded by charity, and patients’ care is provided on a needs-based basis, so most folks will need to pay little or nothing for the services, Autry stated.
