Predators & Prey: Why Planned Parenthood is hunting in Alaska

Alaska draws hunters from around the world. In fact, Planned Parenthood is hunting there right now; their target is GOP senate Fcandidate Dan Sullivan. Sullivan is trying to unseat the Democratic incumbent, Mark Begich, and that’s put him in Planned Parenthood’s crosshairs.

The Planned Parenthood Action Fund has launched attack ads against Sullivan, including one that says, “Dan Sullivan would let the government control what you do with your body.” I can see why the folks at Planned Parenthood would run an ad about trying to control women. After all, they’ve been helping abusive men do that for years.

Planned Parenthood is America’s largest abortion provider, performing over  three hundred thousand annually. While they tout abortion as a choice, there’s evidence that many women who abort only do so under pressure. Who would inflict that pressure? Well, sexual predators have a pretty strong incentive.

Predators depend on secrecy, so it’s a bit of a problem when their victims become visibly pregnant. That’s what makes abortion an attractive option: it’s an effective way to hide the evidence and keep the abuse going. It worked for John Blanks, Jr. He took his daughter to Planned Parenthood for an involuntary abortion after impregnating her. When she got home, the abuse resumed and lasted for months.

Denise Fairbanks had a similar experience. Richards sued Planned Parenthood, claiming to have explicitly told its employees that she had been the victim of incest. While clinic staff didn’t alert law enforcement, they did turn Ms. Richards back over to her father.

Adam Gault took advantage of Planned Parenthood’s services when he brought his teenage rape victim there.  Timothy Smith and Gary W. Cross did the same with their step-daughters. While all of these men were able to abort the evidence of their crimes, forced appointments don’t always go smoothly.

Katelyn Kampf found herself beaten, tied up, and stuffed in the  back seat of a car for her trip to the clinic. While she survived, not everyone has been so lucky. Christian Ferdinand smothered his 14 year-old victim, Shaniesha Forbes, when she announced that she was pregnant and wouldn’t be exercising her “right to choose.” Other women have been shot, stabbed, bludgeoned, and burned for the same reason.

The fact that many of its clients are showing up under duress isn’t news to Planned Parenthood. In 2011, former clinic director Abby Johnson and 6 other ex-employees released a letter to Congress stating that Planned Parenthood’s policies and procedures fail to protect women from coercion and abuse. The ex-staffers offered to participate in any Congressional investigation of the abortion giant, an idea that didn’t sit well with Sen. Begich. He joined with other senate Democrats to denounce an investigation as amounting to “a witch hunt.”

As we’ve seen, easy access to abortion is great for abusers, so it makes sense that they would have use for Planned Parenthood. What’s less obvious is why Alaska’s senator would be so ready to support the group. Mark Begich has not only opposed investigating misconduct at Planned Parenthood, he’s also stood behind the half billion in federal funding that the group receives.

Americans shouldn’t let a federally funded organization assist predatory men with treating women and girls as prey. That’s why pro-lifers in the 49th state should make it clear they want their senator to help bring this activity to an end.