CRISIS PREGNANCY CENTERS: DECEPTIVE BY DESIGN
Crisis pregnancy centers (CCs), sometimes called pregnancy resource or counseling centers, are fake clinics explicitly created to talk people out of having abortions.
They do this mostly through deceptive tactics, misinformation, and vilification of people who have them and perform them.
Click below for printable PDF of all graphics found in the Deceptive By Design Factsheet:
CPCs Far Outnumber Legitimate Abortion Clinics
CPCs outnumber Abortion Clinics 3 to 1
Source: The Alliance – State Advocates for Women’s Rights and Gender Equality. (2021). Designed to Deceive – A Study of the Crisis Pregnancy Center Industry in Nine States. https://alliancestateadvocates.org//srv/htdocs/wp-content/uploads/sites/107/Alliance_CPC_Report_FINAL11-4-1.pdf
CPCs Mislead Patients: False Advertising + Misinformation
More than 75% of CPCs are linked to national religious anti-abortion networks.
Source: Alliance: State Advocates for Women’s Rights and Gender Equality reports on CPC services and practices and Reproaction’s CPC Fact Book 2.0.
Less than 50% of CPCs have licensed medical professionals.
Source: Alliance: State Advocates for Women’s Rights and Gender Equality reports on CPC services and practices and Reproaction’s CPC Fact Book 2.0.
95% of CPCs offer no pre-natal services
Source: Alliance: State Advocates for Women’s Rights and Gender Equality reports on CPC services and practices and Reproaction’s CPC Fact Book 2.0.
Two-thirds of CPCs promote medical falsehoods about abortion, contraception and pregnancy.
Source: Alliance: State Advocates for Women’s Rights and Gender Equality reports on CPC services and practices and Reproaction’s CPC Fact Book 2.0.
Show Us The Money: By The Numbers
According to 2015-2019 public tax records, over $4 billion in revenue went to 1291 unique organizations that filed taxes and are known to provide CPC services — roughly $860 million dollars per year.
More than half of those dollars ($2.2 billion) was concentrated among the top 10 groups, representing broader institutions or charities where pregnancy services are not the sole or primary purpose.
Source: NCRP analysis of 990 tax forms of 1291 unique organizations that filed taxes and are known to provide CPC services.
Show Us The Money:
The Dobbs Effect
With the Supreme Court Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, abortion became immediately illegal in 13 states with trigger laws banning the procedure upon reversal of Roe v. Wade.
In these states organizations doing “crisis pregnancy services” enjoy a six-fold philanthropic funding advantage over abortion funds and legitimate clinics.
Nationally, the overall imbalance stands at 5:1. Even in the 16 states and DC where abortion is explicitly protected, foundation giving to groups with crisis pregnancy programs outpaces giving to clinics and funds.
Source:
Show Us The Money: Your Tax Dollars At Work
Anti-abortion centers in at least 29 states obtain some form of state funding,
14 states directly fund CPCs through Alternatives to Abortion programs.
At least 10 of those 14 states have diverted funding from Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), a public assistance program meant to benefit low-income families, to CPCs.
Source: Alliance: State Advocates for Women’s Rights and Gender Equality reports on CPC services and practices and Reproaction’s CPC Fact Book 2.0.
PHILANTHROPY’S ROLE
Philanthropy for “Right to Life” issues was 53 million dollars between 2015-2019 — but this is just one aspect of funding for the broad anti-abortion movement.
Organizations with CPC programs received $278 million in foundation funding during the same period. This does not include giving by individual donors or through Donor Advised Funds (DAFs).
The top 10 recipients of this philanthropic giving are broader entities where “crisis pregnancy services” are one of many programs. Being housed within these larger groups affords CPC efforts a high degree of financial security and access to substantial organizational operational support.
CPCs are the anti-abortion movement’s ground game. Beyond their significant financial resources, they benefit from the political power, influence and infrastructure of the broader movement dedicated to denying millions access to healthcare and civil rights.