PLANNED PARENTHOOD
PO BOX 887
PORTAGE, WI 53901
608-742-1551

TAPE – 537

(dialing sounds) (ringing 1X)

CLINIC: Thank you for calling Planned Parenthood. This is Donna. How may I help you?

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

CLINIC: No, we don’t.

CALLER: Oh. Well, do you know of anybody that does?

CLINIC: Yes, I do. Just a moment. I have to find pamphlet for — okay. The closest one to us would be the one in Madison, and there’s an 800 number. 800-322-2039. And you can call them. There’s also Milwaukee and Appleton if either of those work better for you.

CALLER: Well, let me try that first one in Madison. But do you know — I’m just really worried because like, well I’m going to be 14 years old in March, and my friend said that you guys would have to tell my parents. But my boyfriend’s 22. Is he old enough to take care of it and they wouldn’t have to tell anybody anything?

CLINIC: I know that there’s a law that you have to, they have to contact your parents. Let me just ask someone. Hold on.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: (pause) Hi.

CALLER: Hi.

CLINIC: I don’t think that they would do that. I think you’d have to contact the public defender and get your, have a judge declare you competent to make that decision, and he would give you permission.

CALLER: Oh.

CLINIC: Your best bet is to go to your parents.

CALLER: But I can’t tell them at all. I mean —

CLINIC: You what?

CALLER: I can’t tell them at all. I mean, if they found out that me and my boyfriend were having sex, I don’t know what they would do.

CLINIC: You know? I know. I know that’s how you feel. But you know what? They love you more than they love anyone else in the whole world. They’ll yell. But they’ll be there for ya.

CALLER: Well, do you know if the judge ever says no or anything?

CLINIC: I don’t know. You’d have to really actually talk to someone in — where do you get ahold of a public defender, Jim? (talking off-mike) Okay. Call the clerk of courts and ask them who the public defenders are, and they can help you. They’d be able to answer those questions better than I.

CALLER: Well, does that cost any money?

CLINIC: Public defenders don’t cost any money, do they? No.

CALLER: Oh, okay. Well, could I come in there for a pregnancy test to see if I am?

CLINIC: Yes. You bet you can. You can come in today. Just walk in.

CALLER: It’s just, the thing is, my boyfriend would be the only way I could get there. Would it be all right if he was there with me?

CLINIC: I guess.

CALLER: It’s just, we were talking about all this, and we didn’t want a whole bunch of people to know about us. Would he have to sign anything if he’s paying for it?

CLINIC: No. This is confidential here. I don’t know because there’s a legal issue there.

CALLER: What kind? What do you mean?

CLINIC: Hold on. I have to ask my manager some questions. Hold on.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: (pause) Hi.

CALLER: Hi.

CLINIC: The legal issue is your boyfriend is 21.

CALLER: Well, he’s 22.

CLINIC: 22. And you’re 13.

CALLER: Yeah.

CLINIC: That’s a legal issue, and no matter where you go they need to report it.

CALLER: To who? What could happen? What —

CLINIC: There’s a thing called statutory rape.

CALLER: But he’s not raping me. I mean, we’re in love. We’re going to get married, and he’s going to take care of me.

CLINIC: You’re 13 years old.

CALLER: Yeah.

CLINIC: In the law’s eyes, you’re not of an age where you can be consensual.

CALLER: Well, what could happen?

CLINIC: He could go to jail. That’s what can happen.

CALLER: Well, he can’t go to jail. I mean, he’s the only one that’s there for me.

CLINIC: You know, you can tell me that. But I didn’t make the law. What, you need to discuss it with him. And you need —

CALLER: Well, if I come for a pregnancy test would he have to go to jail? I mean, how could I come in if he’s not there?

CLINIC: Hold on. Let me ask. (pause) Hi.

CALLER: Hi.

CLINIC: You can come in and have the pregnancy test done. He can drop you off here, and you don’t have to name him.

CALLER: Oh, okay.

CLINIC: But it’s still going to need to be reported because at your age you’re not old enough to consent to have sex.

CALLER: Oh. Well, what can I do then?

CLINIC: That’s the law. Any place you go you’re between a rock and a hard spot now. You cannot name him. Beyond that, I don’t know. You know? And if you’re not pregnant, we don’t have to report it.

CALLER: Oh. So if I was pregnant and you reported it, would they have to tell my parents?

CLINIC: I imagine that they would have to tell their parents, wouldn’t they? If we reported it? It goes to Social Services. Yeah. We don’t know where it goes from beyond there.

CALLER: Oh, okay. So, but if I wasn’t pregnant, would I be able to get birth control there and you guys wouldn’t have to tell anybody?

CLINIC: You can still get birth control at age 13. Yes, without having to be reported to anyone.

CALLER: Oh, okay. All right.

CLINIC: Okay?

CALLER: So is it possible that I wasn’t pregnant then?

CLINIC: Pardon me?

CALLER: Is it possible that I’m not pregnant?

CLINIC: Only you can tell me that. I mean —

CALLER: My last period was like December 21st. That’s why I’m scared about all this.

CLINIC: Yeah, at 13 it’s not unusual to have that, you know, stopping and starting kind of thing going on. But you know what you could do, is you can go and get one of those pregnancy tests over the counter and try that.

CALLER: Are those usually right?

CLINIC: If you do them right they usually are.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Did you do one?

CALLER: No.

CLINIC: Okay. You could do that for starters.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: And if it’s negative get in here and we’ll do a pills in advance or something on you.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Okay?

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: All right. Call us back —

CALLER: You guys wouldn’t tell on my boyfriend or anything though?

CLINIC: You don’t tell us who he is.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: All right?

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: All right. Thanks.

CALLER: Okay. Bye.

(phone clicks)

*** THE END ***