Vermont

#605 – Planned Parenthood in Rutland, VT

Listen to the Call:

Transcript:

PLANNED PARENTHOOD
6 ROBERTS AVE
RUTLAND, VT 5701-3120
802-775-2333

TAPE – 605

(Dialing, phone ringing 1x)

RECORDING: Hello, you have reached —

CLINIC: Planned Parenthood. This is Kate.

CALLER: Hi. Yeah. I was calling to see if you guys do abortions there.

CLINIC: Yes.

CALLER: Well, how much does that cost?

CLINIC: The cost is 370. That includes ultra sound, follow up, care and the procedure itself.

CALLER: I’m going to be 14 next month, 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 you wouldn’t have to tell anybody?

CLINIC: No. If you’re 14, there is a law that says — well, actually — let me get this right. You’re 14 and your boyfriend’s —

CALLER: I’ll be 14 next month.

CLINIC: Okay. Well, if you’re 13 now and your boyfriend is 22, technically that’s — I mean, we would have to report that.

CALLER: To who?

CLINIC: To the state because —

CALLER: Why?

CLINIC: Because it’s called statutory rape.

CALLER: But he’s not raping me. We’re in love. We’re going to get married.

CLINIC: Okay. I understand that. But we would have to — the doctors would have to talk to you. And then would have to kind of assess.

CALLER: Well, what could happen?

CLINIC: I don’t know off the top of my head.

CALLER: So I can’t get an abortion then?

CLINIC: No, you can. It’s just you have to come in for options counseling first, and we need to do a pregnancy test. We’ll cross all those bridges when we come to them.

CALLER: But I don’t want my boyfriend to get in trouble.

CLINIC: Well, I don’t know if he would or not.

CALLER: I don’t want to take that chance though.

CLINIC: Okay. Well, it’s up to you what you do. You don’t have to come in. You didn’t even have to tell my who your boyfriend was or how old he was or anything like that. Those were choices that you just made. So if you go into a clinic, regardless of whatever it is, if you’re under 18, you have to have options counseling first. That’s what the law is. And then I don’t believe in Vermont there’s a parental consent.

CALLER: Well, what if they didn’t know about my boyfriend? Could I still get an abortion then?

CLINIC: Who?

CALLER: Whoever would get into trouble.

CLINIC: Well, the law is to protect you. The law is to make sure that some adult man is not taking advantage of a 13-year-old girl.

CALLER: But he’s not. We’re in love.

CLINIC: Okay.

CALLER: I mean, he’s going to take care of me forever.

CLINIC: I understand. I understand, okay? I hear what you’re saying. But I’m telling you what the law is. I’m telling you why the law is in place, okay?

CALLER: All right.

CLINIC: I’m giving you this information because that’s what the law is, and we’re not going to lie to you and say nothing about that when really there is a law that says if a man over a certain age is having sexual intercourse with a woman under a certain age, it’s against the law.

CALLER: The main reason why I’m worried about all this is I haven’t had my period since December 26th, and I’m just scared.

CLINIC: Right. You need to come in for options counseling.

CALLER: Well, do you guys do pregnancy tests there to make sure I am pregnant?

CLINIC: Yes.

CALLER: Oh. But if it turned out that I wasn’t pregnant, could I get birth control?

CLINIC: Yes.

CALLER: Okay. It’s just me and my boyfriend don’t want to have to worry about all this again.

CLINIC: Right.

CALLER: But would you have to tell anybody if I was on birth control though?

CLINIC: No.

CALLER: Really?

CLINIC: Yes. I haven’t lied to you yet, have I?

CALLER: No.

CLINIC: So I’m not going to start now, okay?

CALLER: All right. So if I came in there without my boyfriend it would be better?

CLINIC: Well, I think that — I really think that you should be up front with everyone about whatever is going on. But you should do whatever you feel most comfortable doing. I have to put you hold for a moment, okay?

CALLER: All right.

(Pause)

CLINIC: Okay. So do you want to come in for options counseling?

CALLER: Well, what time should I come in?

CLINIC: You can’t come in today. We’re too short-handed today to take any walk-ins. If you want to come in tomorrow.

CALLER: What time tomorrow?

CLINIC: Pregnancy tests are walk in, so just come in during business hours.

CALLER: What are your business hours?

CLINIC: From 10 to 2.

CALLER: Well, I’d have to call my boyfriend to see. He said that he would take me.

CLINIC: It’s not that you have any kind of appointment. So if you can’t come in tomorrow then it’s okay. But I would suggest that you get this taken care of as soon as possible.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Okay?

CALLER: All right. Thank you.

CLINIC: You’re welcome. Bye.

CALLER: Bye.

***END***

#563 – Planned Parenthood in Springfield, VT

Listen to the Call:

Transcript:

PLANNED PARENTHOOD
125 PARK ST
SPRINGFIELD, VT 5156-3032
802-885-4701

TAPE – 563

(dialing sounds) (ringing 3X)

CLINIC: Hello. Planned Parenthood. This is Deborah.

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

CLINIC: No, we don’t.

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

CLINIC: Have you had a positive test done?

CALLER: No. I’m just really worried because I haven’t had my period since like December 26.

CLINIC: Well, the first thing to do would be to get a test done.

CALLER: Okay. Well, it’s just the thing is, my friend told me that like — well I’m going to be 14 next month, and she said that you guys would have to tell my parents. But my boyfriend’s 22. Is he old enough to take care of everything and you wouldn’t have to tell anybody?

CLINIC: (pause) (laughs) In Vermont there’s — you don’t have — your parents don’t have to know.

CALLER: Oh, really? Okay.

CLINIC: Do you live in Vermont?

CALLER: Yeah.

CLINIC: Okay. You sound like you’re far away somehow. I guess it’s our connection that we have here.

CALLER: Oh.

CLINIC: And the same is true in New Hampshire.

CALLER: Oh, really?

CLINIC: In some states you do have to tell parents. The larger problem is, the age difference between you and your boyfriend.

CALLER: What do you mean?

CLINIC: There are laws that are — that, that kind of age discrepancy can be reportable.

CALLER: Well, what could happen?

CLINIC: Well, they can report to Social Services that —

CALLER: Well, would they have to tell my parents?

CLINIC: Well, when that happens, yeah, it ends up being an issue.

CALLER: An issue? Well, what should I do? Should I just not —

CLINIC: Well, the first thing you should do is get a test done to see whether you really are pregnant. Then —

CALLER: But would you have to tell my parents about that?

CLINIC: Then you would need to — just whether you’re pregnant or not? No.

CALLER: Oh, okay.

CLINIC: And then we would give — we would tell you what your options are and give you a list of referrals for both prenatal care and adoption services as well as abortion providers.

CALLER: Oh, okay.

CLINIC: And then you would call whichever one was your choice.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: And they would explain what you need to know on that end.

CALLER: Oh. Well, it’s just —

CLINIC: Making appointments and what not.

CALLER: Well, what do you mean about like the issue? I don’t understand.

CLINIC: Well, if you don’t bring up how old he is, then we don’t know.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: (laughs)

CALLER: All right. Well, so — well he said that he was going to pay for everything.

CLINIC: Do your parents know that you’re seeing him?

CALLER: Well, yeah. But they don’t know we’re having sex. I mean, if they found out we were having sex I don’t know what they would do. I mean, they can’t find out at all.

CLINIC: Um-hum.

CALLER: So.

CLINIC: So when was your last period?

CALLER: December 26.

CLINIC: Okay.

CALLER: Is it possible I’m not pregnant?

CLINIC: Well, have you missed periods before? How long have you been having your period?

CALLER: For like a couple years.

CLINIC: Okay. But have you ever been irregular before?

CALLER: No, I don’t think so. Not really. But if I wasn’t pregnant could I come in there and get birth control?

CLINIC: Um-hum.

CALLER: But would you have to tell anybody about that?

CLINIC: Nope.

CALLER: Oh, okay.

CLINIC: I would say you need to get this pregnancy test done fairly quickly.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Um, abortions can be done after 12 weeks, but it’s a little bit easier and less expensive if it’s done before that. So I would — where is that you live?

CALLER: I live in Chester.

CLINIC: Okay. Why don’t I give you the Rutland Planned Parenthood number, and they may be able to do everything for you?

CALLER: Oh. Well, so it would be better if I don’t go to you, or —

CLINIC: Why don’t —

CALLER: Do they do abortions there?

CLINIC: Yeah. That’s why I’m saying that that might be a good place for you to and — Rutland or West Lebanon. I don’t know which one you could get to more easily.

CALLER: I don’t know.

CLINIC: Okay. Well, let me give you the phone numbers.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Rutland is 775-2333. And West Lebanon is 603-298-7766.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: And they should be able to do the test and do the other for you if that’s what you choose.

CALLER: Okay. Well, are the tests from the store accurate?

CALLER: Pretty much.

CLINIC: I didn’t want to do one of those because I didn’t think they were right.

CALLER: Pretty much, but it’s going to cost you about the same or maybe even less to go to one of our offices, and then you’ll know you’ve got a more accurate result, and they also can do a physical exam if they feel like they’re not sure about how far along you might be — which you can’t do with a store test obviously.

CLINIC: So anymore questions or anything else?

CALLER: Well, no. I’ll just call them and see. But, all right.

CLINIC: All right. Take care then.

CALLER: Thanks.

CLINIC: Bye bye.

CALLER: Bye.

(phone clicks)

*** THE END ***