THE FACTS ON SCOTT WALKER’S RECORD ON WOMEN:
- Walker’s anti-abortion legislation wasn’t about patient safety or supporting women’s choices – it was about restricting women’s rights in order to appeal to the most radical, far-right element of the Republican Party.
- Walker’s legislation that mandates medically-unnecessary transvaginal ultrasounds and the reading of a state-authored shaming script was opposed by medical professionals in organizations like the Wisconsin Medical Society, WI Academy of Family Physicians, Wisconsin Public Health Association and the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.[1]
- Speaking at an editorial board in 2010, Walker confirmed that he opposes all abortions, even in cases of rape or incest.[2]
- The elimination of state funding to Planned Parenthood disrupted services at nine family planning and healthcare centers in Kenosha, Winnebago, Eau Claire, Shawano, Wood, Chippewa Falls, Dodge, Fond du lac, and Jefferson Counties. In 8 of the 9 counties, Planned Parenthood was the only family planning provider.
- In addition to losing massive amounts of funding for key health centers and family planning services across the state, five Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin health centers were forced to close in Fond du Lac, Shawano, Chippewa Falls, Beaver Dam, and Johnson Creek. The five health centers closed due to Scott Walker’s policies provided birth control counseling and options, lifesaving cervical and breast cancer screenings, annual exams, STD testing and treatment, pregnancy testing, HIV testing, and well woman exams.[3]
BACKGROUND:
[1] “ ‘This speed of passage sends a clear signal that these legislators want to deny any efforts to ensure due process and are refusing to allow sufficient time for medical providers, advocates, women and their partners to truly weigh in on the anticipated damaging effects of this legislation,’ Sara Finger, the executive director of the Wisconsin Alliance for Women’s Health, said in a statement. Finger had less than 24 hours to analyze the legislation before testifying against it.” (Scott Walker Endorses Mandating Transvaginal Ultrasounds And Shutting Down Abortion Clinics, Think Progress, 6/12/14)
[2] Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: You oppose abortion even in cases of rape and incest. Scott Walker: (Nods) MJS: Tell me if I got that right. SW: That’s correct. (Scott Walker Wants to Totally Outlaw Abortion. In This Sneaky New Ad, He Pretends He Doesn’t., Mother Jones, 10/7/2014)
[3] “A fifth Planned Parenthood health center closed in Wisconsin on Thursday due to state budget cuts that directed family planning money away from the provider.” (Fifth Planned Parenthood Clinic Closes In Wisconsin, Huffingpost, 9/25/14)
