New Web Site to Collect Data on Abortion Reactions
Liz Townsend

A new web site, www.abortionresearch.net, will gather data from post-abortive women, men, and grandparents, as well as former and current abortionists, in an attempt to learn more about the impact that abortion has on all the people involved.

“The surveys on the site will expand what we know about women’s mental health after abortion,” Priscilla Coleman, associate professor of human development and family studies at Bowling Green State University, told NRL News. “What’s new is that we’re also conducting a comprehensive assessment of men’s adjustment, along with grandparents. These groups have long been understudied.”

There are also separate questions for medical providers who have performed or assisted in abortions. “We look at their reactions as well, even including their sense of work satisfaction, if they felt fulfilled at all by their work,” said Coleman.

Coleman is part of a team of respected researchers led by Prof. Catherine Coyle, an associate of the International Forgiveness Institute. A third member is Vincent Rue, co-director of the Institute for Pregnancy Loss.

The researchers encourage anyone who has been personally affected by abortion, at any time in her or his life, to log on to the site and answer the survey questions. Coleman said that they hope to get responses from people with all types of experiences and political views in order to gather the most comprehensive data.
Anonymity is guaranteed by the researchers, and no specific personal identification information is requested.
“The data will be recorded and then used in scholarly research and papers,” Coleman said.

The surveys are made up of brief questions that cover all aspects of the abortion experience, including reasons, techniques, relationship issues, subsequent emotions or memories, religion, etc. There are also some open-ended questions where responders can give a larger picture of abortion’s impact on them.
In addition, the site includes a list of referrals if people who answer the survey wish to receive counseling.

“Sometimes answering such a survey brings up feelings that need to be dealt with,” said Coleman.
The researchers hope that the survey will give a more complete picture of how abortion affects people even many years after the event. “There is a need for a more in-depth discussion about what people experience in abortion and how profound it can be,” Coleman said. “This will convey how they’re personally experiencing abortion, not just immediately but in the long term.”