While attacks on pregnancy help organizations have slowed significantly since the Dobbs decision, anniversaries (like June 24 for the Dobbs decision), holidays (particularly long weekends), and various news events can easily reignite ire from abortion advocates. 

According to a 2022 survey, 1 in 6 PHOs experienced targeted harassment ranging from fake online reviews to vandalism, including destruction of property in May or June of 2022.

Heartbeat has created a growing resource that goes over many practical steps that you can take to protect your center, its personnel, and its clients, which you can find here. But what if you arrive at your center to find it vandalized?

1. Ensure your immediate safety. If there appears to be any suspicious or dangerous activity presently occurring, alert those who are expected to arrive at your center in the coming hours and encourage them to await further instruction. We would not recommend that you attempt to engage with vandals or arsonists (or worse). Instead, call 911.
2. For non-emergent scenarios contact your local police through its non-emergency number. Explain what you see, and request that an officer come out to make a police report. This is very important for recovering funds from insurance, encouraging the police to increase its presence near your center, and, potentially in a case against the perpetrators. Threats of violence or vandalism of a PHO can be submitted through the FBI Tip Line at FBI.gov. Sometimes, this prompts a faster response than a local Police Department can or would provide. The FBI is taking this very seriously and has an open investigation on Jane's Revenge.
3. Alert your Board. Your board is part of your team, so be certain that they are in the know and a part of your plan.
4. Preserve the Evidence. As far as possible, do not touch or move anything at the scene. Preserve the evidence exactly as you found it.
5. Document the Damage. Take pictures of the damage. If there are any written messages in the vandalism, be sure to take pictures that ensure that the messages can be read clearly. Write down as many details as you know or can remember about the potential timing of the attack, when you arrived at the center, what you saw, who you called, what you told them. If you have security cameras (you should!), obtain whatever footage you can obtain. The police may take your pictures, notes, and security footage, but be sure to keep a copy of everything. Document the name and badge number of the officer(s) you work with (if it is not on the police report).
6. Contact Heartbeat. There may be certain legal remedies available to a center that is persecuted by these activities. If a connection can be drawn between the vandalism or arson of a number of different centers, that may open up even more legal options. We are better together – even in Court! You can contact us by emailing Beth Diemert, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and please CC This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

These are troubling times, and it is natural to feel intimidated or nervous. “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.” 2 Thessalonians 3:3. As you walk compassionately with women, offering them help and hope, “be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6.

Heartbeat is here for you. We are inspired by you. We are fighting alongside you. And we are praying for you.

Since the overturning of Roe, many states, cities, and local elected officials have turned their eyes toward pregnancy help organizations -- some seek to investigate and restrict the work of pregnancy help, while others look for ways to support and fund the movement. We are seeing attacks coming in many forms from New York passing legislation to “conduct a study” on centers, to Minnesota’s AG issuing a consumer alert, to the city of Columbus funding a pro-abortion activist group to do an investigation of centers. At the same time, 12 states passed legislation funding pregnancy centers in 2023, and Mississippi expanded its state tax credit for pregnancy help centers from $3.5 million to $10 million. As the fight for life shifts from the national level with the U.S. Supreme Court back to the local level with state legislatures and city councils, these battles will likely continue. 

In light of this, we must continue to be diligent in our service to women in our communities providing them with the compassionate care that they deserve. We must also work to build relationships with our local, state, and federal legislators to ensure that they understand the work that we do every day.

Here are some key resources for you as you work in your state to advance the work of pregnancy help:

Legislators

As always, stay alert to what your local officials are working on. Building relationships with them will allow you to speak up for pregnancy help when it is under attack and open the eyes of the legislators to the life-changing impact that you have in their community.

• Turning Legislators into Allies - Webinar
• Find Your State and Federal Legislators

Legislation

• AUL State Legislation Tracker - You can find Pregnancy Help-related legislation under the "Pregnancy Resource Centers" category.
• Plural Policy Legislation Tracker - Search and track any legislation both state and federal.

Status of Current Abortion Laws

• Guttmacher Institute's Overview of Abortion Laws - Guttmacher is a pro-abortion research organization, however, their information on the status of all current abortion-related laws is the most detailed available at this time. This will allow you to stay up to date on the laws in your state and where they stand in the courts.
• FRC's Pro-Life Laws in the States - View your state's current abortion limits and other abortion laws on FRC's interactive maps!

Additional Resources:

• Pregnancy Help in Your State - Talking Points and state by state numbers
• Pregnancy Center Myths Debunked - Podcast
• Abortion Myths Debunked - Podcast
• Pregnancy Center Truth - Website
• Pregnancy Help News - News Site

by Lauren Bell, Extend Web Services Manager

The average internet user will spend nearly seven hours per week watching videos online and Millennials tend to hit 10-20 hours of video viewing each week.In 2022, 82% of internet traffic came from video streaming and downloads. (Shepherd, 2023) With all this video content being created, consumed, and shared, is your organization utilizing the opportunity to reach your target audience through video?

 5 reasons to incorporate video into your outreach efforts:

1. Videos are engaging: Whether your target audience is a young woman searching for help or a major donor looking to fund a project, videos will engage your viewer. Videos educate and inspire, but most importantly people will watch them.

2. Videos invoke emotion: Videos make people feel. Emotions help you connect with your target audience quickly and effectively. It’s important to make an emotional connection quickly because you don’t have much time to reach someone on a digital platform. It’s not unusual for a woman to spend just a few seconds on a website before clicking away, but if you can connect with her through video in the first few seconds, you’ve increased your chances of building trust and prompting action.

3. Videos prompt action: Once you’ve invoked emotion in your audience through video, people are more likely to act. This will boost your conversion rates considerably. Whether it’s to make an appointment or give a gift, nothing will spur that action quicker than a well-crafted video.

4. Videos work on multiple platforms: One video can be a tool used across multiple platforms. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. A video used on your website can easily be uploaded to social media. Just be sure you are using the correct format and orientation when you share. Video is great for mobile phones and since the vast majority of internet traffic comes from mobile devices, video is a tool you want on your platforms.

5. Videos increase your search result ranking: Simply put, Google loves videos, especially videos embedded on YouTube. Having at least one video embedded on your website will increase your chances of being ranked higher on search results. Be sure your video content is relevant to the content on your page.

At Extend Web Services, we offer a wide variety of digital marketing tools to help you reach women in need as quickly and affordably as possible – now including video!

With any marketing tool, it is important to test out what works best for your marketing plan and keep trying new ways to increase your reach online. We hope you’ll take advantage of the new videos offered by Extend as we continue to partner with you to reach and rescue lives each day.

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Shepherd, J. (2023, May 15). 30 vital video marketing statistics you need to know in 2023. The Social Shepherd. https://thesocialshepherd.com/blog/video-marketing-statistics

(If you need help setting up your Amazon Baby Registry, click here for a how-to guide.) 

Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, the champion of Dobbs, has rallied other pro-life Attorneys General who are eager to celebrate you and your life-affirming work. And your state's AG said yes! So, together, we are collecting Amazon Baby Registries from pregnancy help organizations in your state and eight others for a virtual baby shower.

if you live in Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota, or Utah, your Attorney General has said "yes!" to supporting this event! If your state's Attorney General is not listed in the form below, that means that they have not committed to participate in this year's donation drive event and therefore, you will not be listed on the main page with Her PLAN. We encourage you, still, to take this idea and create your own Amazon baby registry to share with your community. This is a great way to connect with your community and provide a tangible way for them to show support for your great work!

Simply complete the form below sending us a link to your Amazon Baby Registry by June 12, 2023. That's it! We want you to capitalize on this unique, multi-state opportunity!

Complete the form below by: June 12, 2023 
Event dates: June 19-24, 2023
Location: Online
​​​​​​​Questions? Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We are happy to help!