A.S. Government Resources

A Resolution to Expose "Fake" Clinics

WHEREAS, the Associated Students of San Diego State University is the representative body, and the official voice of more than 35,000 students at San Diego State University; and

WHEREAS, it is the mission of the Associated Students to represent, serve, and protect the collective interests of students at San Diego State University; and

WHEREAS, the Associated Students of San Diego State University does not take an official stance on the issue of abortion but promotes the health education of our students; and

WHEREAS, many so-called “Crisis Pregnancy Centers” (CPCs), using deceptive names and locating near legitimate women’s health centers, attempt to intimidate and coerce women out of considering abortion as an option; and

WHEREAS, most CPCs in the United States are not medical clinics and instead are primarily staffed by anti-abortion and anti-birth control volunteers who have no medical training; and

WHEREAS, Congressional Investigators found that 87% (source: United States House of Representatives Committee on Government Reform-Minority Staff Special Investigations Division, July 2006: False and Misleading Health Information Provided by Federally Funded Pregnancy Resource Centers) of CPCs provide false or misleading information about the health effects of abortion and often grossly misrepresent and distort the medical risks of abortion, telling women that having an abortion could increase the risk of breast cancer,(source: American Cancer Society, “Is Abortion Linked to Breast Cancer?” September 9, 2009) result in sterility, and lead to suicide and “post-abortion stress disorder” – a condition that is not recognized by the American Psychological Association or the American Psychiatric Association; and

WHEREAS, tens of millions of federal and state dollars for abstinence-only programs are being directed to these fake clinics; and

WHEREAS, women on our campus and in our community deserve neutral, comprehensive, and accurate medical information about abortion and birth control; therefore, let it be

RESOLVED, that the Associated Students of San Diego State University expresses ongoing support of SDSU Student Health Services Center’s efforts and policies to ensure health representatives stop referring students to CPCs, and for the sake of the public health, our state and federal elected representatives stop funding CPCs with taxpayer dollars; and let it be further

RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be distributed widely, including, but not limited to President Stephen L. Weber, Dr. James R. Kitchen, CSU Board of Trustees, CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed, CSU Campus Presidents, CSU Associated Students, the United States Student Association, the University of California Student Association, Senator Barbara Boxer, Senator Diane Feinstein, Congresswoman Susan Davis, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi

Passed by the Associated Students Council on March 10, 2010