Roe v. Wade overturned: How local organizations on both sides are responding

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Nearly 50 years of Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court, prompting local reactions on both sides of the debate.

“The Supreme Court of this land has heard you and has heard the cries of those suffering,” said Mary Huston. She volunteers for the awareness campaign “Silent No More.”

Huston had an abortion herself and said society rarely talks about the trauma it puts patients through. She hopes Friday’s ruling changes that.

“There are so many suffering in silence. And I hope the message today to all of us — you are not alone anymore in this,” she told Action News Jax’s Robert Grant.

At Women’s Choice off University Boulevard (Homepage | Florida Women’s Choice (floridawomenschoice.com)), the decision garnered concern. Kelly Flynn is CEO of the clinic in Jacksonville and those in North Carolina. She had an abortion at age 19 and now helps other patients in similar situations.

“I worry what’s going to happen with people that don’t want to be pregnant,” she said. “45 years old and I never would’ve thought that this is the world we would live in. Now our rights are being stripped away little by little. So, it’s emotional.”

Despite the ruling, she said abortions are still legal in Florida and her clinic will continue to operate.

Florida will allow abortions for up to 15 weeks starting July 1. Flynn said she is staffing up her clinics and also coordinating transportation in anticipation of patients coming from surrounding southeastern states with tighter restrictions.

Flynn expects to see people coming from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama in search of help.

Huston is also providing help. She volunteers at Rachel’s Vineyard and hopes to show more people options beyond abortion. Those looking for help can go to their website HERE: rachelsvineyard.org.

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