A community member in Ohio is facing housing instability and state violence because of their pregnancy outcomes. We’re fundraising to support them as they fight this violence & seek housing stability. Our goal is $15,000 for use towards food, housing, and basic necessities. We already know that Ohio is in the top five states criminalizing people for abortions, miscarriages, and pregnancy outcomes as a whole. With that comes an oppressive whirlwind of state-sponsored violence, isolation, harassment, & more. To minimize the impact of this, all information shared regarding this fundraiser will be de-identified to provide as much privacy & safety & care as possible. We will provide updates as often as is safe & advisable to do so. Background In the last year, the abortion access & reproductive health crises have flared in Ohio & beyond. We lived through an oppressive 6-week ban, only now to have our legislative, judicial and executive branches publicly opposing the citizen-initiated abortion & reproductive freedom amendment on November's ballot. Like communities in the South, we in the Midwest & Appalachia are struggling. We will not be speaking to the specifics of this individual’s situation, and we encourage you to uplift this fundraiser while respecting that boundary. To better understand what criminalization around pregnancy looks like, we’ve compiled these resources: If/When/How’s 2024 Report on criminalization & pregnancy across the country Pregnancy Justice’s Guide on pregnancy criminalization Image Description: Pink and lavender gradient with a key finding from If/When/How's recently released research on abortion criminalization in the U.S. In the center is dark crimson text that reads, "Mapping abortion criminalization"; Below is a United States map with states where people have been criminalized for abortion highlighted in dark red. The states are California, Idaho, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, D.C., Pennsylvania, New York, and Massachusetts. Below in crimson text is an elaboration on the finding: From 2000 to 2024, If/When/How identified 61 cases of people criminally investigated or arrested for allegedly ending their own pregnancy or helping someone else do so" Logistics & Transparency The funds raised here are solely for survival expenses, as necessary healthcare & legal costs are being covered by community partners. Abortion Fund of Ohio is organizing this fundraiser, but will not be on the receiving end of these funds. Again: donations on this page are NOT donations to Abortion Fund of Ohio; you can support AFO, learn more about our work, and get help on our website here. To protect this Ohioan’s safety & privacy with ongoing criminalization, the beneficiary listed is Ohio Reproductive Liberty Defense Fund (OH Relief), a non-profit OH RELIEF is a volunteer-run non-profit that materially supports folks facing criminalization for reproductive care outcomes. LFEBridge charges a transaction fee per donation. OH RELIEF’s fiscal sponsor, The Reading Room CLE, also receives a fractional fiscal sponsor fee. The remainder of the donation will be paid out in full to the individual facing criminalization. About Abortion Fund of Ohio Abortion Fund of Ohio is Ohio’s statewide abortion fund, and a founding member of the National Network of Abortion Funds,. Founded in 1992, we believe that everyone should be able to make their own reproductive decisions—and we work to make that a reality in Ohio. We provide financial assistance, practical support (transportation, housing, childcare), and short-term legal assistance to help patients afford contraception, emergency contraception, and abortion services. If you need financial or practical support to access abortion, visit our help page. If you have questions about Ohio abortion law, visit our legal help page. For questions regarding abortion law outside of Ohio, visit Repro Legal Helpline. About OH RELIEF: Ohio Reproductive Liberty Defense Fund (OH RELIEF) is an Ohio-based nonprofit organization which provides access to representation and other material support to people, organizations, and associations facing legal consequences for reproductive health choices, pregnancy outcomes, and the fight for reproductive liberty in Ohio. Our work is made possible by the support and partnership we receive from our fiscal sponsor, The Reading Room CLE. After fiscal sponsor fees (which covers mission-critical administrative support like bookkeeping, federal reporting, and tax filings) all donated funds go directly to cover legal fees, court costs, and the things our clients need to survive while facing criminalization. We are an entirely volunteer-run organization and retain no paid staff. Please direct any questions regarding OH RELIEF or your donation to our contact email.
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