OpenForum – a blog by the Health and Human Rights community

[Editor's note: This is a guest post written by Dr. AuTumn Davidson.]

The recent murder of Dr. George Tiller, a prominent Kansas abortion provider, is a tragedy whose consequences will reverberate far beyond the immediate devastation of his friends, family and patients. Dr. Tiller was a true hero, an activist who dedicated his life to women’s reproductive rights, and now the most recent in a line of martyrs murdered for ensuring the safety of women around the country.

Thirty-six years after abortion became legal, the United States faces a dearth of providers: only 12% of counties have doctors who provide this service, the vast majority of whom are in metropolitan areas. This unfortunate statistic is in part the result of the coordinated attacks on abortion providers that have persisted over the decades. Since 1977, there have been 8 murders and 17 attempted murders of physicians. There have been 41 reported bombings of clinics, hundreds of cases of arson and invasions, and thousands of reported cases of vandalism and trespassing. Every one of these acts serves to deter practitioners from providing abortions services, in effect hindering the possibility for Americans to access safe, legal procedures.

As doctors, women, and concerned members of our communities, we refuse to stand silent as our mentors are murdered. We write this letter in solidarity with Dr. Tiller and the many brave defenders of women’s rights who devote their careers to providing women with safe reproductive options. We implore the medical community to join us to demand that our communities stand up to the domestic terrorism that continues to attack our profession, and insist that these criminals and their handlers be brought to justice. Only in this way can we assure that Dr. Tiller’s legacy is preserved for women around the country.

AuTumn Davidson, MD
Kenneth Barron, MD
Gabrielle Burger, MD
Tiffany Forti, MD, MPH
Tara Kumaraswami, MD
Monica Lucero, MD, MPH
Jennifer Scanlon, MD

See also: Responses: The murder of Dr. Tiller