GUEST POST: Students for Life of America (SFLA) is proud to call the Abortion Survivor’s Network (ASN) one of their Post-Roe Accelerator Partners as this organization applies a unique and innovative approach to spreading the pro-life message. ASN works to create a world where the incidence of failed abortions and the lives of abortion survivors (people whose parents attempted and failed to abort them) is openly discussed and accepted, and survivors and their families are supported and healed. Since partnering with SFLA, ASN has begun to expand its reach in exciting ways both in person and online — here are the top five advancements ASN has made since our partnership began:   

1. ASN trained six abortion survivors to share their story publicly for the first time. These survivors spoke boldly about the realistic impact of abortion on the lives of those who have survived and their families. To learn more about abortion survivor experiences and testimonies, click HERE and HERE. 

2. ASN also reached an additional 2,000 people online with new social media advertising. With this advertising, the organization connected with two post-abortive women who were left deeply hurt and full of guilt after their abortions. Through ASN’s outreach, they found healing resources from Support After Abortion.

3. ASN partnered with the SFLA group at Benedictine College, the Ravens for Life, to host the first ‘Empowered by Life Survivor Panel’ at the school to start interactions between abortion survivors and college campuses. 

4. ASN also testified on behalf of the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which passed this January. ASN President Melissa Ohden said, “I was asked to meet with members of the House prior to the historic vote on the Born Alive Act and observe the vote from the Gallery. I invited a fellow survivor in our Network, Sarah Zagorski, who is pictured on my left in the photo with Congresswoman Wagner and Majority Leader Scalise.

“Sarah is the survivor of induction abortion…It was historic to have the two of us there not only to celebrate the passage, but because we are each constituents of the two members of Congress who have led on this for a decade. This is part of how we accelerate and amplify our work – strategically amplifying the stories and impact of survivors in their own states, with their elected officials, so they know they represent survivors in their states and they share their stories and vote in support of their lives and the lives of the preborn.”  

5. ASN attended the National Pro-Life March in Washintgon D.C., where they had the largest gathering of abortion survivors in attendance to date and the National Pro-Life Summit. At the Summit, they connected with 90 activists and spoke during a pro-life innovation breakout session for leaders looking to make an impact in the pro-life movement with new ideas.  

Ohden said, “This partnership has put us in the position we need to be in with the recent FDA ruling on Chemical Abortion Pills and the online marketing we need to educate and serve with. Additionally, our reach on social media has not only led to more survivors and families reaching out to us, but more potential allies/volunteers than before.”     

Uniting as pro-life organizations will only bring us closer to abolishing abortion in our lifetime. Are you a member of an existing pro-life organization that fills an innovative role in the pro-life movement? Do you need help expanding your efforts? Apply today to be a Post-Roe Accelerator Partner for the 2023-2024 academic year! Applications are open through Friday, March 31, 2023.  

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