DALLAS, July 13, 2018   - Harassment and hostilities have increased toward those peacefully ministering to women and families outside of local abortion facilities in Dallas. The most recent incident is the fourth in the last several months.

On July 6, a man in an SUV pulled into the parking lot at the Southwestern abortion facility on Greenville Avenue in Dallas. He stopped parallel to three young women standing on the corner of the sidewalk with a "Pregnant, Free Help Here" sign. The women are sidewalk counselors on staff with the Catholic Pro-Life Committee.

He opened his car door and began shouting repeated expletives at the three women. One of the women filmed the encounter, which prompted the man to direct his vitriol at anyone watching the video (linked below). He then drove into the lot, and  made a u-turn to exit. Before departing, he stopped again in front of the women. This time, he yelled the ethnically charged comments: "You can't build that wall fast enough. Build that g*#d*#$ wall!"  

CAUTION:	Video contains offensive expletives
Celina Boyle and Kasandra Martinez, who were counseling when a man pulled up and began shouting obscenities at them.

"We are saddened by this display of pain and anger. We often see such reactions from those who are themselves suffering in the wake of an abortion experience,"  said Catholic Pro-Life Committee Executive Director Becky Visosky. "Our counselors remain committed to offering alternatives to this painful choice, and we will continue to hold all those who are suffering in prayer that they may find peace and healing in God's love. "

This incident is on the heels of another encounter this summer, and two incidents of vandalism a few months ago, also outside Southwestern abortion facility:

June 26, 2018: A man in a car stopped, blocking traffic, to tell CPLC counselors (same two women pictured above) that he was upset that a flag of Our Lady of Guadalupe was on display (which did not belong to the counselors), and he identified himself as "pro-choice."  He also spoke to the abortion facility escorts, and according to their account, made threats against the CPLC counselors, including his intent to inexplicably report the counselors to ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement].  

October 20, 2017: CPLC counselors arrived to discover a suspicious package wrapped in plastic placed at the prayer vigil site adjacent to the facility. The Dallas police were called. The police evacuated the area and brought in the bomb squad to investigate the threat, which was identified by the authorities as a hoax "designed to insight fear."

October 10, 2017: CPLC counselors witnessed a professionally dressed man pull up in his Infinity next to the prayer vigil site outside the abortion facility. He proceeded to destroy prayer materials by splattering them with red paint and leaving a decapitated doll. 

Notably, the timing of these incidents -- fall of 2017 and summer of 2018 -- coincide with public attention surrounding (1) a court challenge of a new state abortion law, (2) dispute arising from an undocumented teen in federal custody seeking an abortion, and (3) the recently open seat on the U.S. Supreme Court. 

The sidewalk counseling ministry of the Catholic Pro-Life Committee has been serving the Dallas community since 1997 in two ways: prayer and pregnancy counseling outside local abortion facilities. Sidewalk counselors are trained both to offer options to women and men coming to the facilities and to provide referrals for post-abortion healing to those leaving. More than 30 counselors ensure presence outside the three facilities in Dallas every day they are open and performing abortions. Since its beginning, the ministry has helped more than 9,000 mothers and their children.

 

"Our presence has always been, and will remain, peaceful and compassionate," explained Visosky. "We are blessed to see firsthand the joy when a mother is given the options and the support she needs to make the choices that are best for her and her family."

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About the Catholic Pro-Life Committee:  The CPLC  is devoted to ending abortion and restoring respect and legal protection for every human life, and carries out this mission  through  life-saving ministries  serving the public with supportive services for mothers and their children, education and advocacy on life issues and women's health, and abortion aftercare.  More here.