Myths, lies, and statistics at Planned Parenthood
From the Washington Times, an interesting exposé of the myths and lies being propagated by Planned Parenthood.
Planned Parenthood has been aggressive in marketing the oft-quoted notion that abortion is only 3 percent of what it does.
Pencils ready? Planned Parenthood arrives at 3 percent by dividing its total number of abortions by its total number of “services.” For 2008, that would be 324,008 divided by 10,940,609.
To illustrate the absurdity of such a statistic, note that if Planned Parenthood hands out 97 condoms, it could count that as 97 “services.” Then it does three abortions and claims that, because it also handed out 97 condoms, abortion is 3 percent of its business. This statistic is specifically designed to lead the American people and the legislators who continue to give government money to Planned Parenthood to believe that a very small portion of Planned Parenthood’s business is abortion-related.
Click here to see the entire article.
One of the authors of this piece is Katie Walker. While at Northern Kentucky University (NKU) in 2006, Katie’s Northern Right to Life group made international news when one of the NKU professors vandalized their “Crosses for the Unborn” display. Katie has often been an invited speaker at our annual Student Leadership Conference.
Added on September 24, 2011:
A commenter questioned whether PP is suggesting that a 13-yr-old might be ready for sex if … , as opposed to an older child. Facts to consider:
- The text in question has been captured and is presented below.
- The URL is http://www.plannedparenthood.org/info-for-teens/sex-masturbation/am-ready-sex-33826.htm. Note the words “info-for-teens” as part of the URL.
- I accessed the link by first typing in the URL, www.teenwire.com, which is a URL that PP regularly gives out as a source of information for teenagers.
- A 13-yr-old child is a teenager.
Combine this with everything else being thrown at children from the media, the entertainment industry, etc., that’s more than enough encouragement for a couple of 13-yr-old children to start having sex. All it takes is one to push for it and another to consent.
Text extracted from http://www.plannedparenthood.org/info-for-teens/sex-masturbation/am-ready-sex-33826.htm.
Tags: anti-abortion, Planned Parenthood, prolife, right to life
This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 6th, 2010 at 9:21 am and is filed under Pro Life. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
14 Responses to “Myths, lies, and statistics at Planned Parenthood”
Leave a Reply
March 15th, 2011 at 12:31 pm
hello, I hate abortions and I think they are unfair to the human lives that are being killed.
April 28th, 2011 at 4:33 pm
I personally think this is bull. Planned Parenthood has a free basket of condoms, and they don’t write down when each person walking by takes one. They don’t count that as a service, as you assume they do. Please do your research first, don’t just pretend to.
April 28th, 2011 at 5:18 pm
Anna,
NPR says that it’s Planned Parenthood who isn’t telling the truth. Check it out: http://www.jillstanek.com/2011/03/npr-fact-checks-debunks-planned-parenthoods-3-of-all-services-are-for-abortion-lie/. (Don’t believe Jill Stanek; check out the sources for yourself.)
This was verified by FactCheck.org, who said, “Planned Parenthood said that it ‘provided nearly 11.4 million medical services for 3 million people’ in 2009. Its 2011 fact sheet says it performed 332,278 abortion procedures in 2009. That would mean that roughly one out of every 10 clients received an abortion.” (http://www.factcheck.org/2011/04/planned-parenthood/)
Cecile Richards, the president of Planned Parenthood, told the Texas Tribune, “We see 3 million patients each year across the country. For 97 percent of them, we provide preventive care. Three percent are abortions.” But according to Planned Parenthood’s own Fact Sheet, current as of February 2011, Richards’ claim is untrue. Planned Parenthood provided 332,278 abortions in 2009, or in other words, 11% of Planned Parenthood’s 3 million patients got abortions. (Source: http://liveaction.org/blog/planned-parenthood-presidents-abortion-claim-false/)
The people commenting on this were looking at Planned Parenthood’s own fact sheets. How’s that for research?
I don’t think FAB ever said that Planned Parenthood hands out free condoms out of a basket. Do you have any evidence that they do this? Or that FAB ever suggested that they do? Or did you just make that up?
May 31st, 2011 at 12:33 pm
I actually use planned parenthood services. I think they are perfect. They help teenager my age and help make sure we get the help we need. Personally I think all of you against it are pathetic and just want attention. It’s called FREEDOM!! If someone wants to have an abortion, go get condoms, or there personal area checked out thats their decison. They are just there to help us not to hurt us. So, why don’t you let the people decide, because i guarentee one day the people who are going against it will have daughters in need of this service.
Thank you!
May 31st, 2011 at 3:50 pm
Hayley,
If you want to go to Planned Parenthood, then more power to you. We know you love your freedom. Just like we love ours (and yours, by the way). That’s why we believe:
1. Nobody should be forced to have their children undergo sex training by the abortion industry. If you want to go to PP, fine, but leave my children out of it. Don’t bring them to our schools. They can troll for business on their own time and on their own dime.
2. Nobody should be forced to pay for abortions. Currently, PP gets more than $300,000,000 in taxpayer funding.
3. Nobody should have the right to unjustly kill another human being. If you think it should be OK to kill another human being, then make your case for that. Ad hominem attacks are no substitutes for reasoned arguments. [The freedom not to be unjustly killed is one of our most basic freedoms, by the way.]
Just FYI, it is insane to suggest to a 13-yr-old boy and girl that they might be ready for sex if they like and trust each other, as PP says on one of their websites (teenwire.com). If you think that’s an appropriate message, take your own children to PP to hear it. Your daughters can become one of the 25% of teen girls who have STDs. They’ll have an STD, but they’ll be FREE!!!
By all means, take yourself and your children to PP. That’s your right. But like I said, leave my children out of it.
September 23rd, 2011 at 11:32 pm
Hi Fletcher first I want to say that I do not agree with abortion. I have been reading many websites about abortion. This is why I came to this site. I read your last posting concerning PP suggesting that a 13 yr old boy and girl might be ready for sex if they like and trust each other. I did not find this post. I read about relationships and what you should see in a good relationship no age was mentioned and sex was not mentioned. I am not saying it was not there….
September 24th, 2011 at 2:35 pm
Responding to Grace, see note in blog posting added on September 24, 2011. We added a photo showing text extracted from a PP web page directed to teenagers.
February 3rd, 2012 at 2:32 pm
I’d like to point out how absurd the authors 97 condom 3% abortions is. If planed parenthood did 3 abortions and 20 pelvic exams, 20 mammograms, passed out 7 condoms and performed 50 rape kits they are still doing 3% abortions except now it looks like PP actually does some good for women in addition to the abortions. I’m not for the killing of the unborn but let’s be honest…PP does some good for women!
February 6th, 2012 at 7:24 pm
FYI Chad: PP does not do mammograms or rape kits and none of their services are free (except for condoms). They receive just in taxpayer money alone over $363 million, for what I am not sure. (Breakdown of their income is as follows: 33% from government, 28% private donations, and 37% from abortions) Abortion is by far the largest portion of the “services” they provide. And really??? “you are not for the killing of the unborn but let’s be honest … PP does some good for women!” What I think you really mean is “they do good for some women, like the ones who want to kill their unborn child!” Of the 324,000 abortions they performed (last recorded year 2009) 162,00 were female babies, hardly what I consider good for women!
February 10th, 2012 at 4:48 pm
Where did they get 13 yrs old at? Did these people even read the website they are referring too? Every age it does actually mention when it comes to sex is 17. And yes they do put condoms in paper bags in a basket in waiting room with a sign that says free protection. I thoroughly believe that Planned Parenthood should be allowed in schools! I was pregnant at 16 because I was poorly informed. I also had a miscarriage at 16 and almost died because I was poorly informed! Maybe if I would have had a website or brochure or anything like this that wouldn’t have happened! So for future teenage girls who go through situations like I did I back Planned Parenthood completely! I also do not agree with abortions. I think it should be illegal to have an abortion without it being life threatening but that isn’t the only service these people do! HOSPITALS do abortions yet everyone uses those regardless of what happens on their operating tables! People who don’t have medical and health insurance need planned parenthood…. Would you be able to afford all of your personal doctor visits without ins? I can’t! If I were to loose my insurance I would personally be using planned parenthood.
February 10th, 2012 at 6:00 pm
The website that is shown here is PP’s “teenwire.com.” The name of the website tells you that it is intended for teens. A 13-year-old child is a “teen.” If there is something about the website that tells a thirteen-year-old teenager that the “teenwire.com” website is intended only for children 17 and above, please point it out.
If we might make one suggestion, you were pregnant at 16 because you had sex. Were you really poorly informed about the fact that sex leads to pregnancy?
FAB does not endorse ignorance about sex or birth control practices; we just believe that there are better people to teach school children about sex than the abortion industry. The abortion industry has a serious conflict of interest, because they stand to make a lot of money when teenagers become pregnant and get abortions. There is a reason that condoms distributed by PP fail at higher rates than any other condoms.
Speaking of ignorance, did PP tell you that condoms provide little, if any, protection against HPV, which causes cervical cancer? (source: http://www.hh76.com/lit/9007CN.pdf)
We are sorry to hear about your miscarriage and very happy to know that you survived. We’re not able to comment on PP’s involvement in your situation, obviously, because you didn’t give details. However, it is clear that PP’s primary business is death. PP is the largest chain of aborion facilities in the country. If you doubt that abortion is their primary business, please read Abby Johnson’s book, unPlanned. She was a PP director.
Abortion is certain death for every unborn child it touches. Abortion is also unhealthy for the mother. For example, abortion-related breast cancers have caused an estimated 300,000 fatalities since Roe v Wade (source: http://www.lifenews.com/2011/01/17/abortion-has-caused-300k-breast-cancer-deaths-since-roe/). More on the breast cancer link may be found at http://www.abortionbreastcancer.org. More information on other adverse health effects of abortion may be found at http://www.afterabortion.org. The cancer link is disputed; others are not.
There are better places for low-income people to get medical care than the abortion facility.
March 9th, 2012 at 12:37 am
“If we might make one suggestion, you were pregnant at 16 because you had sex. Were you really poorly informed about the fact that sex leads to pregnancy?”
First, we? I suggest a shrink for you (however many you include).
Second, yes. There are plenty of girls who do not fully understand what sex is. My best friend in high school thought she would get pregnant from using a public toilet. it’s called EDUCATION for a reason.
Lastly, since everyone here is inclined down the slippery slope, let me point you to another one. First, it’s your ovaries. Next it’s your liver that’s being regulated. Then every woman must have hair of a certain length and wear gray smocks and have a sheet over while she’s being raped for reproductive night with a pre-assigned “husband”. Sorry if for “we” it’s murder. For me, it’s my eggs. And what do you think you’ll accomplish when millions of men and women no longer have access to condoms and the pill? That they’ll magically stop having sex? It’s time to wake up. Embrace the fact the sex is going to happen, like it or not.
And the 11% vs 3%? If you don’t want an abortion, don’t have one. If you want to regulate my health, how about I start regulating your church?
March 9th, 2012 at 12:10 pm
Annabell,
You’ve raised a number of issues.
Education. We, all of us here at FAB (including me), don’t have anything against sex education. Nobody wants children to be ignorant. What we object to is allowing the abortion industry (and some would argue, the sex industry) to be the ones doing the teaching. It would be like letting the tobacco industry come in and do the lung health programs. Remember this: “What? Us? WE don’t have anything to do with all this lung cancer out there!” Oh, yes, and this: “Our advertising isn’t targeted to children!” Riiiiiiight.
Yes, certainly people will have sex. But that doesn’t mean that we should allow the abortion industry into our schools so that they can encourage 13-yr-olds to have sex.
Former abortion clinic owner Carol Everett describes how she used her status as a so-called “expert” to gain access to public school students so she could encourage more sexual activity and more teen pregnancies. She said, “Our presence in schools guaranteed a 50% increase in pregnancy.” She described her process for increasing sexual activity among teens: “First, I established myself with the teens as an authority on sex. I explained to them that their parents wouldn’t help them with their sexuality, but I would. I separated them from their support system, number one, and they listened to me. Second, our doctors prescribed low dose birth control pills knowing well that they needed to be taken very accurately at the same time every day or pregnancy would occur. This insured the teens to be my best customers as teenagers typically are not responsible enough to follow such rigid medication guidelines on their own. I knew their sexual activity would increase from none or once a week to five or seven times a week once they were introduced to this contraception method. Then I could reach my goal – three to five abortions for each teenager between the ages of 13 and 18.”
You can do what you want with your own children, but please keep abortion industry shysters away from mine.
Contraception. What’s up with the millions of men and women no longer having access to contraception? Nobody wants to end access to contraception. The confusion over this point is so bizarre, we have to wonder if it’s really confusion or just plain obfuscation.
We are absolutely pro-choice when it comes to contraception. If you want to buy and use contraception, you should have the right to do it. If you want to buy contraceptives for your neighbors, you have the right to do it. But nobody has the right to force you to buy contraceptives and abortions, either for yourself or for your neighbors.
Regulation. We are glad to know you don’t want to regulate our health nor our church. You must, then, hate ObamaCare as much as we do. We oppose ObamaCare because we are pro-choice, much more than our neighbors on the Left. We don’t want Big Government telling us what insurance we may buy and sell. We don’t want Big Government dictating whether we take the blue pill or the red pill. We don’t want Big Government dictating that we have to pay for abortions.
Big Government shouldn’t take your money and give it to somebody else’s charity; the government should allow you to choose your own charities to support, whether it be homeless, education, hunger, or whatever other charities you may wish to support.
We are even pro-choice on abortion, … IF. If abortion does not kill a human being, then abortion is simply a matter of personal morality that is best left up to the discretion of the individual citizen. But wait! Abortion DOES kill a living human being. That’s not a matter of opinion or belief; that’s what science tells us: http://www.prolifeoncampus.com/dynamic_pages?page=When%20Does%20Life%20Begin%3F&id=13.
We are thrilled to learn that you don’t want to regulate churches. Then you must be aghast that President Obama wants to tell churches that they must pay for contraceptives and abortion. Yes, we agree with you that President Obama should not regulate our churches (as he is doing).
But we do offer one caveat. If we are killing 1.2 million people every year inside the privacy of our own churches, then it is the proper role of government to protect the weaker from the stronger. As any country boy will tell you, “Your right to swing your fist ends where somebody else’s nose begins.” Nobody should have the right to kill somebody else, even if that somebody else is his own child.
Slippery Slope? Not sure what’s up with smocks and sheets and rape and pre-assigned husbands. We are pro-choice, so we oppose Sharia Law more than anybody.
November 4th, 2012 at 1:33 pm
Hey Anna-
ever hear of counting how many they put in the basket and how many are left when they refill it? Just because you don’t see them counting doesn’t mean they can’t count them…