Listen to the Call:
Transcript:
PLANNED PARENTHOOD
1927 COLUMBUS AVE.
WACO, TX 76701-1032
254-759-5772
TAPE – 439
(dialing sounds) (ringing 1X)
CLINIC: Planned Parenthood. Pam. May I help you?
CALLER: Hi. Yeah. I was wondering if you guys do abortions there?
CLINIC: Yes, ma’am.
CALLER: Okay. Well, how much does that cost?
CLINIC: Depends on how far along you are. When was the first day of your last period?
CALLER: December 21st.
CLINIC: Okay. It would be $390.
CALLER: Oh, okay. Well, do you know — like, well, I’m going to be 14 in March, and my friend told me that you guys would have to tell my parents. But my boyfriend’s 22. Is he old enough to take care of it, and you wouldn’t have to tell anybody about anything?
CLINIC: No, ma’am. One of your parents has to come with you.
CALLER: Really?
CLINIC: Yes, ma’am.
CALLER: Is there any way not to have to tell them?
CLINIC: Not with you’re 14 and he’s 22?
CALLER: Uh-huh.
CLINIC: Did you know that that’s statutory rape in the state of Texas?
CALLER: What do you mean? He’s not raping me. I mean, we’re in love. We’re going to get married.
CLINIC: Okay. Because of you age and because of his age we would have to report that.
CALLER: To who?
CLINIC: To the police.
CALLER: Well, what could happen?
CLINIC: Well, he could be arrested.
CALLER: He could be arrested?
CLINIC: Yes, ma’am.
CALLER: Well, he can’t be arrested. I mean, he’s — we’re going to get married, and he’s going to take care of me for the rest of our lives.
CLINIC: Hmm.
CALLER: I mean —
CLINIC: That’s just the law, ma’am.
CALLER: Uh-huh. Well, what can I do then?
CLINIC: I don’t know what you could do. If you come into this clinic, I’m letting you know ahead of time that we have to report that to the police.
CALLER: Oh.
CLINIC: And that he stands the possibility of being arrested. So I did, I do want to let you know that.
CALLER: Well, what —
CLINIC: Plus, we have to send — one of your parents has to bring you for the procedure. Or you could go before a judge and get what’s called a judicial bypass with — but with your situation I don’t know if that would be good for you to do because of his age.
CALLER: Well, would it be better just not to tell anybody about him?
CLINIC: Well, they’re going to ask you some questions.
CALLER: Yeah? So you don’t think that I could get a judicial bypass?
CLINIC: If you explain that to the judge, it’s possible. I really couldn’t tell you. I really wouldn’t know. Hold on a minute.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: (pause) Do you have a good reason for not telling your mother?
CALLER: Well, I can’t tell them at all. I mean, I don’t know what would happen. They’d be furious.
CLINIC: Well, yeah. But I mean, that wouldn’t be a good enough reason for you to tell the judge. You have to be able to convince a judge why are you getting this procedure. You would have to be able to convince him.
CALLER: Well, what should I say?
CLINIC: Girl, I don’t know. In your situation, I don’t know.
CALLER: Well, how could I find out that I was pregnant for sure?
CLINIC: You could take a urine pregnancy test.
CALLER: Oh. Do I come in there for that?
CLINIC: Have you taken the test?
CALLER: No. I’m just really worried because I haven’t had my period for awhile.
CLINIC: Okay. You come here and you take this test, and your test turns out to be positive? We have to report that.
CALLER: But what if it was negative?
CLINIC: If it’s negative, you don’t have anything to worry about. But if your test is positive, then we have to report that.
CALLER: Well, could I get on birth control if it was negative?
CLINIC: Yeah. You can get on birth control.
CALLER: But would you have to tell anybody if I was on birth control though?
CLINIC: No.
CALLER: Really?
CLINIC: Um-um.
CALLER: And my boyfriend wouldn’t get in trouble?
CLINIC: Have you missed a period?
CALLER: Yeah. Haven’t had it since December 21st.
CLINIC: Ooh. So, and you’ve been having unprotected sex?
CALLER: Yeah.
CLINIC: Okay. Well, (sighs) it’s possible that you could be pregnant, and if you are pregnant and you come in here, we’d have to report it.
CALLER: Oh. But if I wasn’t, you wouldn’t have to say anything?
CLINIC: Right.
CALLER: Well, so, could I get birth control if I wasn’t pregnant then?
CLINIC: Yes, ma’am, you could get birth control. It’s $28 one-time charge and then the pills are $15 a pack. For your very first would be $43. And then it would be $15 a pack after that. But if you have a missed period, then you’re not going to be able to get birth control from us until you have a period. You’d have to be on your period to start the birth control pills.
CALLER: Well, would anybody have to know about my boyfriend if I was in birth control?
CLINIC: No, ma’am.
CALLER: Really?
CLINIC: No, long as your test comes out negative.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: So you want to come in?
CALLER: Well, I got to talk to my boyfriend to see. But —
CLINIC: Yeah — you, yeah, that’s something you need to discuss with him, because if you come in here and your test is positive, we have to report that.
CALLER: Oh. All right.
CLINIC: Okay? And we definitely could not give you an abortion without one of your parents coming with you unless you got a judicial bypass, and I don’t even know how you would go before a judge with your situation. You know what I’m saying?
CALLER: Yeah. All right.
CLINIC: Okay?
CALLER: Okay. So —
CLINIC: Something to think about.
CALLER: So I’ll just call you back. Okay, thanks.
CLINIC: All right.
CALLER: Bye.
CLINIC: Bye bye.
(phone clicks)
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