A year ago, the US Supreme Court handed down a landmark ruling ending abortion rights nationwide, affecting the lives of millions of women and changing the political landscape.
On June 24, 2022, the United States Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v Wade decision, which gave women the right to have an abortion until the fetus is approximately 24 weeks old.
In the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, the court’s conservative majority delegated the power to regulate or outright ban abortion to individual states.
The anti-abortion movement celebrated a historic victory and pro-abortion activists warned of an impending public health crisis.
Most people who have had an abortion.
“Where were they going to get abortions? How were they going to travel, take care of the kids, and risk missing two days of work and possibly jeopardizing their employment?” he told the BBC.
4. Support for abortion has increased
According to Pew Research, support for abortion in the United States has remained stable over the past 30 years, with approximately 60% of Americans believing that abortion should be legal in all or most cases. Overall, the think tank found that support for abortion declines as the pregnancy continues.
But a year after the Supreme Court decision, public support for abortion actually increased. This was the situation where the ban was imposed.
In 2019, about 31% of people living in states that later enacted the ban believed that abortion should be more accessible. But according to a poll conducted by Pew, 46% of the population thought it should be easier once these restrictions were implemented in 2023.
Pence challenges rivals to support 15-week ban
How people view abortion is still heavily influenced by politics. 84% of Democrats believe abortion should be legal in most cases, compared to 40% of Republicans. However, when the proposed abortion restrictions were put to a direct vote in conservative states, they failed.
The ballot measures failed in Kentucky and Montana in the 2022 midterm elections, leaving Republicans in trouble. Bans and restrictions, while popular among the conservative base, risk alienating more moderate voters who believe abortion should be legal.