Accessibility

ACCESSIBILITY

“Jane” sought to provide safe abortions for all women.​​​​​​​ Often times, a woman’s race, demographic, location, and background would determine her opportunity to recieve an abortion.

“One in four white women who sought an abortion died from it, compared to one in two non-white women and Puerto Rican women”

-Guttmacher Institute ​​​​​​​

Video retrieved from a New York Times study done in collaboration with Heather Booth and several of the "Janes"

Women protest the back alley abortion popular at the time as they understand the fatal consequences associated with the procedures. 

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 These women lacked access to abortion clinics and accurate information, so they were forced to resort to back alley procedures which were often just as dangerous as doing it at home.Specifically women  in rural areas were almost entirely cut off from mainstream education on the topic. 

"The mortality rate due to illegal abortion for non-white women was 12 times that for white women."

-Guttmacher Institute describes life before Roe v Wade

Although they began as a referral service, the organization quickly realized they could perform the procedures themselves, despite having no medical background, for half the price. The cost quickly dropped to $100, and cost about $50; however, they accepted any price the women could pay, even if it was nothing. Not only could they reduce the cost, but they could additionally increase the comfort of the woman, and cater to her needs. 

"From my examinations, these women were not maltreated and had no ill effects… their periods had returned; they were in good health; they had no complaints. All that says is that one does not need to be a doctor. You only need good training to do an abortion."

-Laura Kaplan, author of “The Story of Jane”


“Jane” sought to provide the most cost effective and comfortable abortions for women, as they were often not provided the most ideal conditions prior to the organization.

"The car parked at a designated spot. On foot, the male driver escorted the mom and daughter through an alleyway to the back door of a nondescript building. Dally never knew the name of the doctor who terminated her pregnancy that night or the address of the site, an underground abortion clinic operating in the years before the procedure was permitted by law." 

-Chicago Tribune describing the conditions in abortion clinics prior to Roe vs. Wade ​​​​​​​

Additionally, the organization put a policy in place that allowed women to "pay their price," which often turned out to be nothing. 

“I worked the Front a good deal. We’d give people an address, and there would be someone there to greet them. We always had snacks — pretzels, cookies, coffee, tea, soda. People could bring a sister, brother, boyfriend. Sometimes they brought their kids. And the person at the Front would talk to them. Some of the women would be nervous.”

-Jeanne Galatzer-Levy



“One of Jane's goals was to give women a sense of control and knowledge in a situation that otherwise made them powerless. Jane sought to work with the women, not do something to them. Jane also tried to protect women, who were often in difficult financial circumstances, from being exploited by abortionists who could and would charge any price they could get from a woman who was desperate for an abortion.”

-Laura Kaplan 

Financial Issues 

This policy made way for financial troubles, making the Jane Collective an unsustainable organization due to its main source of funding coming from its members. Members often had to buy their own equiptment and medicine. 




"Jane women bought surgical instruments and antibiotics from medical supply stores and friendly doctors and nurses. They set up ''fronts'' in sympathizers` apartments where pregnant women were told to report."

-The Chicago Tribune

"Although they began as a referral service, the organization quickly realized they could perform the procedures themselves, despite having no medical background, for half the price. The cost quickly dropped to $100, and cost about $50; however, they accepted any price the women could pay, even if it was nothing." 

​​​​​​​-New York Times

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