PLANNED PARENTHOOD
550 N. MAIN ST. # 117
LOGAN, UT 84321-3984
435-753-0724

TAPE – 553

(dialing sounds) (ringing 1X)

CLINIC: Hello. This is Susan.

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

CLINIC: We don’t. But, you know, we have information about, there’s some places in Salt Lake. We have a sheet about all the places that are nearby that do, and, you know, there’s like a 24-hour consultation they want you to have to kind of make sure you’ve thought of all our options. So we can do that 24-hour counseling service. And then we have some handouts that will give you other information.

CALLER: Well, could I ask you a quick question? I’m just worried about all this because, well my friend told me that since like I’m going to be 14 in March that they would have to tell my parents. But my boyfriend’s 22. Would he able to sign whatever it is, and you guys wouldn’t have to tell anybody?

CLINIC: — 14.

CALLER: Well, I’ll be 14 next month.

CLINIC: Yeah. Do you think you’re pregnant?

CALLER: Well, I’m not sure. I just haven’t had my period since like December 21st, and I’m worried.

CLINIC: Well, you can come in and get a pregnancy test. You know, the thing is, it is illegal for a guy that old to take advantage of someone your age if you’re just 14.

CALLER: He’s not taking advantage of me. I mean, we’re in love. We’re going to get married.

CLINIC: Yeah. And what you need to do is, you would have to work through Family Services because even though you want to grow up, you know, you’ve got a whole life ahead of you, and it is illegal for a guy to have sex with a girl less than four years younger than him.

CALLER: Well, what could happen?

CLINIC: You know, it just depends if you want to say that you’re okay, you know, you basically go through some screening. They just want to make sure you didn’t get forced into that situation and you feel good about yourself. Otherwise, I don’t have control over the law, you know. We can help you get some birth control, but we will also report, you know — we do have to report anybody under — let me ask. I think it’s under 15. Latieshea (sp)? She just ran by this doorway here. And we do have 14-year-olds, and then the only concern is, because he’s 22. He just — you know, he just should not be taking a 14-year-old wife. They just don’t want him to be doing that. If he’s 30 and you are, what, how old? How many years older than you is he, like 8?

CALLER: I think so.

CLINIC: No. He’s like — yeah, 8 years older than you and he wants to take an 8-year-younger wife. He can. But, you know, I guess our goal in this society is to let you finish high school and know how to function later on as you grow older. You know, if something happens to your relationship you will have missed out on a lot of growing up.

CALLER: Well, I’m just worried because I haven’t had my period since like December 21st. Could I come in there for a pregnancy test?

CLINIC: You can come in here for a pregnancy test, yeah.

CALLER: Well, would anybody have to ask anything about him?

CLINIC: We’d have to ask your name. And we would — and you know, Family Services would probably check with your parents why you’re not being supervised at age 14 and allowed to go out and date people like that.

CALLER: So you would have to tell my parents if I come in for a pregnancy test?

CLINIC: I leave that up to Family Services.

CALLER: Oh. Well, who is Family Services?

CLINIC: They’re just the state social workers. They’d probably stop by and try and find out how — you know, they try to be subtle, but it’s hard.

CALLER: So you guys would have to tell on me then?

CLINIC: Well, you know, I leave it to them to work with it. Is your mom home at all when you’re around, or — does she supervise you? You sound like you’re a mature person, and if you want to fight your case, it may be okay. But you know, our concern is that — you know, we wanted you to grow up a little bit more and it is just illegal for someone that old to be taking on someone who’s not old enough to know what your rights are.

CALLER: Well, what can I do? I mean, I don’t want to get in trouble.

CLINIC: Well, you know, if you’re pregnant, you’re pregnant, you’re going to need good healthcare, and at one point or other someone’s going to get a lecture. But, you know, in the long run I would say come in and get that urine test done and find out if you’re not pregnant, let’s help you get on birth control. And then, you know, you’re going to have to deal with stuff because you’re younger. It’s just part of the program.

CALLER: Well, if I didn’t say anything about my boyfriend, would you guys have to do anything then?

CLINIC: Oh, now you put me in a pickle. You know, at this point I guess not. We will ask you, you know, how old he is and how — you know, I can’t ask you how you met him, but I do have to ask you how old he is.

CALLER: Oh.

CLINIC: Yeah. And so, but come in and get the urine test done. If you’re not pregnant, then, you know, maybe we can just talk about it some more. It’s just that he can be — you know, how — does he work during the day?

CALLER: Yeah.

CLINIC: How often do you see him? How do you know he doesn’t have three or four girlfriends like you he’s taking advantage of?

CALLER: Well, he doesn’t. I mean, he’s a sweetheart. I mean, he’s a great guy. It’s just my parents —

CLINIC: Well, if he’s not using condoms and not making sure you’re on birth control, he’s not a real sweetheart. Does he want you to have a baby?

CALLER: Not right now. I mean, we want to get married first. But like, he’s already got a son like from the marriage that he’s in right now. I mean, he’s separated, and they’re going to — they’re going through a divorce. But.

CLINIC: Yeah.

CALLER: But I mean, he takes real good care of his son. So.

CLINIC: Um-hum. Well, I just — oh, I don’t know. Those are the kinds of things that Family Services would deal with. You know, that’s not — I just have to go with what the law is. I say, come in and get a pregnancy test. Let’s find out. If you’re not pregnant, we can help you get on birth control, and we will not, not give you birth control. We just, you know, need to kind of let them evaluate, and if they think it’s an okay relationship you’re all right.

CALLER: Oh. Well, if I was on — if I wasn’t pregnant and I was on birth control, would you guys have to tell — would you guys have to report it then?

CLINIC: Just the, you know, just initially. And it’s not — it goes very confidentially. It doesn’t come where it’s come from or anything. They just have to go out and, you know, either check your school records or through your home.

CALLER: Well, I’m homeschooled.

CLINIC: As to your well-being. They might just check with your parents to see if —

CALLER: But if my parents found out anything — I mean, they can’t find out that we’re having sex. I don’t know what they would do if they found out.

CLINIC: Okay.

CALLER: They can’t find out at all.

CLINIC: Okay. But if you’re pregnant, what are they going to find out?

CALLER: Well, that’s why I want to get an abortion.

CLINIC: Yeah. Okay. You know, I can’t — you know, those are things that are kind of hard to hide from parents forever. You know, if he’s not already helping you get on birth control ahead of time, if you’re not pregnant and you want to come in and visit about it, we could possibly get you on birth control. But, you know, usually not if he’s more than four years older than you.

CALLER: Oh. So basically if I come in there and talk to you guys you’re going to have to, might tell my parents in some way?

CLINIC: I’m not going to call your parents at all. I’m going to call Family Services, and they’re going to do their own investigation.

CALLER: So as soon as I walk in the door you guys would have to tell the Family Services people?

CLINIC: No. Well, yeah, basically because your partner’s 22 years old.

CALLER: Oh.

CLINIC: I’m not going to call– well, why don’t you come do a urine test? If it’s negative, let’s just go from there. We don’t have to report anything if we’re doing a urine test.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: And then, I’m trying to think of ways that we can help you. Family — you can go talk to Family Services and see what they can do. If you plead your case that you feel like you’re an independent minor and can handle this then that’s their decision, not mine.

CALLER: Oh, okay.

CLINIC: You know? So you might want to go talk to them.

CALLER: All right.

CLINIC: Does that help you any?

CALLER: Well, yeah.

CLINIC: I mean, I just have to be honest with you. I can’t share that I’m going to break the law and do something if they make the decision and not me, if they feel like you’re, you know somebody’s taking advantage of you and you’re just too naive to know that, then they have a right to talk to your parents.

CALLER: Oh. All right.

CLINIC: Okay? But I don’t. The only thing I have to do is call them and say, you know we have this really young person and it may be if they get reports from other sides that there’s something going on in your home that you’re not supervised like you should be, then you’re in trouble. You know? And some of these guys are trying to get 10 and 12-year-olds, wooing them over the Internet and stuff. We don’t want that happening in our society. So, I don’t know. You have to plead your case if you feel like what’s going on is good. You’re already kind of doing it behind your parents’ back.

CALLER: Well, I mean, they know him. I mean, I met him because he worked with my dad. But I don’t know.

CLINIC: Do they know you’re dating him?

CALLER: Yeah. They just don’t know we’re having sex.

CLINIC: They just don’t know what?

CALLER: They just don’t know we’re having sex.

CLINIC: Oh, okay. All right. Well, come in and do your urine test and find out what’s going on.

CALLER: All right.

CLINIC: And then, you know, then I’ll send you over to Family Services and you can talk to them and see what you can justify. If the test is negative, that’s a good thing. You really need to get on birth control. And I can put you on birth control, but I – -I think I can. When did you turn 14?

CALLER: I’ll be 14 March 19.

CLINIC: So you’re not even 14 yet?

CALLER: Right.

CLINIC: Okay. Come in and do the urine test and ask for Susan, okay? And I’ll find out what information I can for you, whether I can help you at all or not. All right? I’m here until — we’re here until 5:00.

CALLER: Okay. And you’re Susan?

CLINIC: Uh-huh.

CALLER: All right.

CLINIC: Okay. You know where we’re at?

CALLER: Yeah.

CLINIC: Okay.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Thanks.

CALLER: Bye.

CLINIC: Bye.

(phone clicks)

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