Image from a recent protest. Photo submitted by Kaushar Barejiya / Mass Media Staff.
On Monday, Jan. 30, the Reproductive Equity Now Foundation—along with Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, The Women’s Bar Foundation, The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts and five law firms—launched a new Abortion Legal Hotline. The new Hotline will provide free services to residents seeking help with legal advice and finding resources about abortion, and will also connect folks to the health care providers and attorneys providing pro bono services. [2]
The Hotline is based in Massachusetts and will connect with the state’s resources and health care services. Reproductive Equity Now Foundation has provided guidelines on its website. People seeking assistance must call or message the Hotline at (833) 309-6301 and leave a message describing if they are a health care provider, patient or helper. To maintain the anonymity and privacy of the platform, callers are not required to mention their names, but they can provide information on how and when they can be contacted back. Signal App is highly recommended, which is the encrypted communications platform. Residents can anticipate a call in two to three business days from the staff answering Hotline calls. [3]
The Hotline was launched in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade last year. This led to the anti-abortion actors and states restricting access to care and resources about abortion. Volunteers and workers from the Reproductive Equity Now Foundation and Women’s Bar Association will be responding to the calls seeking help and resources in Massachusetts. The office of AG Campbell also partnered with this initiative, furthering a step forward in fulfilling Campbell’s commitment to prioritizing reproductive rights in the state. [1]
Massachusetts remains one of many states where abortion is legal. “From codifying protections for providers and patients into state law to creating a free and confidential hotline for residents, Massachusetts continues to lead on reproductive justice,” said Campbell. Campbell further added that the Hotline would benefit people coming from other states to Massachusetts to seek care.
Rebecca Hart Holder, president of Reproductive Equity Now, said several attorneys from multiple law firms have signed up to contribute to the service. One hundred fifty plus lawyers from firms, including Foley Hoag LLP, Goodwin Procter, Ropes & Gray LLP and more, have agreed to offer legal services to the Hotline callers. [2]
Holder also commented on the launch of the new Hotline. “We are proud that the Massachusetts Legislature acted boldly to pass best-in-the-nation protections for abortion providers and patients last legislative session,” Holder said. [1]
Senator Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark and U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley were a few of many members present at the press conference, announcing the launch of the new Hotline and its benefits. Senator Warren emphasized that the hotline would help the state eliminate the spread of misinformation about abortion rights. “This hotline ensures that both health care providers and patients can confidently go to one centralized place for free to learn about the protections afforded to them under the law,” Warren said.
After the Supreme Court made the historic decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Massachusetts passed state legislation to protect reproductive rights and offer support to those seeking help from outside the state. [2]
To find more information about abortion providers in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and Maine, Reproductive Equity Now Foundation recommends reaching out to the foundation’s New England Abortion Care Guide, which provides information specific to different states. [3]
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