PLANNED PARENTHOOD
43 BROOKWOOD AVE. # 7
CARISLE, PA 17013-9172
717-243-0515

TAPE – 127

(dialing sounds) (ringing 1X)

CLINIC: Planned Parenthood. How can I help you?

CALLER: Hi. Yeah. I was wondering if you guys do abortions there?

CLINIC: No, we don’t.

CALLER: No? Okay.

CLINIC: No, not in our affiliate. The closest Planned Parenthood is the one in, the affiliate in York.

CALLER: In York?

CLINIC: Yeah, or we refer to Hillcrest Women’s Clinic in Harrisburg.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Do you need that number?

CALLER: Yeah.

CLINIC: Okay. Hold on one second and I’ll get it for you. Are you interested in a surgical abortion or a medical abortion?

CALLER: I don’t know. Like is there an age requirement for either one?

CLINIC: How old are you?

CALLER: I’ll be 14 in March.

CLINIC: Okay. You do need parental consent in the state of Pennsylvania. Are you involving Mom and Dad?

CALLER: Like I can’t tell them. Like, well, my boyfriend’s 22 and we’re going to get married, but they hate him, so they can’t find out. They think he’s too old for me.

CLINIC: Okay. Then you’re going to need to go out of state.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: And the closest would be in Hagerstown, Maryland.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Let me give you a number for them, okay?

CALLER: All right.

CLINIC: Let me see here. I’m looking trying to find it for you. I get a little confused. Oh, my goodness I just had it.

CALLER: In Maryland they don’t have to tell my parents or anything?

CLINIC: No.

CALLER: All right.

CLINIC: No. I’m looking. Okay, here. Hagerstown Reproductive Health Services. And it’s in Hagerstown. It’s 1-800-773-9140.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Okay, honey?

CALLER: Well, I was wondering like if like I wasn’t pregnant is there any way I could have birth control?

CLINIC: We can dispense birth control from here with, you know, after an exam and things like that. We do do it here. If you were interested in setting up an appointment. But what you’re first I guess, you — have you confirmed that you’re pregnant?

CALLER: Well, I took a home pregnancy test over the weekend.

CLINIC: And it was positive?

CALLER: Yeah.

CLINIC: Then you’re more than likely — that’s accurate, and you are pregnant.

CALLER: Oh.

CLINIC: Okay?

CALLER: Well, like if I got birth control there you wouldn’t have to tell anybody?

CLINIC: Nope.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Nope, it’s confidential.

CALLER: Is it all right if like my boyfriend comes with me?

CLINIC: Yeah, that’s fine.

CALLER: And he wouldn’t have to fill out any forms or anything?

CLINIC: No. No. The only thing that — yeah, she’s — I just think I put her chart up. Can you hold for just one moment, please?

CALLER: Yeah.

CLINIC: Okay. (pause) Okay, thanks for holding. Yeah. I mean, we most certainly can set you up with an appointment here.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Now, my only question and issue to you is, you are aware of the statutes on the age difference between you and your partner, aren’t you?

CALLER: I don’t understand.

CLINIC: I mean, you’re 14 and he’s how old?

CALLER: He’s 22.

CLINIC: Okay. And by law– I mean, you’re not having any kind of coercive intercourse?

CALLER: No. We’re in love. We’re going to get married. We just got to — like he’s going to move out and we’re going to get married, and we just have to figure out what to do about my parents.

CLINIC: Okay, all right. Well, I’m just telling you because I mean if we involve him in this there’s — you know, I mean, it just could be — there could be questions.

CALLER: Like what kind of questions?

CLINIC: Well, legality. (laughs) I mean, when there’s more than I believe it’s —

CALLER: Like could he get in trouble?

CLINIC: Well, he could. I mean, by law you’re not — you’re more than a minor.

CALLER: Well, what could happen?

CLINIC: He could go to jail. Okay? I mean, that’s — and that’s probably why your parents aren’t supporting this. I just want to tell you what the mandate is.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: The mandate of reporting of suspicious sexual abuse — I’m not saying you’re being sexually abused — but if someone is less than 16 years old and the person is more than 4 years older, or the person is 13, irrespective of age difference between the victim and the alleged perpetrator, the mandate to report exists only when the alleged perpetrator is a parent, stepparent, member of household, or a boyfriend/girlfriend, caretaker. Now, I don’t know — this is in the event — I’m only saying — that someone suspects sexual abuse, which it does not obviously sound that is the case for you. But I just want you to be aware that that is something that people will question because there is such a large age difference between you.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: I mean, you’re a young girl. He’s a man. And that’s — you know, that’s a big difference, okay? As long as you are not being physically or sexually abused in any way, there should not be a problem. But you still, for the service that you’re looking for first, for the first thing, you definitely have to go out of state without your parents.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Now here we can do whatever you need as far as your healthcare and birth control without them being involved at all.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Okay? I just want to make sure that you’re in a good situation and everything.

CALLER: Yeah. Well, he loves me. He’s a sweetheart.

CLINIC: Okay. Well, that’s — you know. And this is — it’s your decision, you know? (laughs) It is your decision.

CALLER: Is it okay if i call you back? I like you.

CLINIC: Oh, absolutely. Please.

CALLER: What was your name?

CLINIC: My name’s Jackie.

CALLER: Jackie? All right.

CLINIC: Yes. Okay?

CALLER: And you don’t have to tell anybody or anything?

CLINIC: Not at all, honey.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Okay? So get your thoughts together.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Call Hagerstown. See what you can get accomplished there.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: And obviously he could probably help you out financially with the service?

CALLER: Yeah. He’s going to take care of everything.

CLINIC: Okay, and when you come here for your services they would be free because of your age, okay?

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: So you don’t — you wouldn’t have to worry about that, and you could hide that from whoever you needed to. (laughs) Okay?

CALLER: So like is it cool if he comes with me to get like birth control or whatever?

CLINIC: That would be fine. That should be fine.

CALLER: And he wouldn’t have to fill out any forms or anything?

CLINIC: No, he wouldn’t. This is just about you, okay?

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: So you just do what you need to do.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Okay?

CALLER: Thanks.

CLINIC: You’re welcome, honey. Good luck to you, okay?

CALLER: Thanks.

CLINIC: Um-hum.

CALLER: Bye.

CLINIC: Bye bye.

(phone clicks)

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