Planned Parenthood in Tenn Responds to Sexual Abuse-Abortion Coverup Video
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
April 28, 2009
Memphis, TN (LifeNews.com) — Planned Parenthood Greater Memphis Region has sent an email to Tennessee legislators responding to a new video showing staff at one of its abortion centers urging a client to lie about her potential sexual abuse so she could get an abortion.
The video, the latest from UCLA pro-life student activist Lila Rose, shows her telling Planned Parenthood officials she is 14 and sexually abused by a 31-year-old man and staff telling her to hide the information from a judge.
In an email to lawmakers, PPGMR CEO Barry Chase attempts to gloss over the sexual abuse coverup.
"PPGMR absolutely did not violate any laws in the way Ms. Rose was handled during her brief visit," he says to the representatives. "PPGMR complies with all local, state, and federal statutes regarding parental notification and statutory rape or incest."
However, Tennessee Code 37-1-605 requires health professionals to report suspected cases of sexual abuse of minors to law enforcement immediately.
Meanwhile, Chase refers to the state’s parental consent statute as a notification law on two occasions in the letter, something officials at Tennessee Right to Life noted.
Ed Albin, of TRTL, told LifeNews.com that Chase "repeatedly referenced Tennessee’s parental ‘notification’ law … even though Tennessee statute calls for parental consent—not notification."
Chase says Rose "came in without an appointment on a very crowded day" and "was seen by an employee, whom we have now identified, and who was neither a counselor nor an intake worker and who apparently offered to help out."
The Planned Parenthood executive identifies the staffer as an interpreter who helps its employees engage in conversations with Hispanic clients.
The letter calls the staffer an "employee" but later Chase says "she has not been employed since October 2008."
In the missive, Chase also questions the ten-month delay in releasing the video and claimed Rose is merely hoping to promote a bill in the Tennessee legislature that would strip state family planning funding from the abortion business.
Chase says Planned Parenthood officials have asked Rose for a full copy of the video, but Rose told pro–life blogger Jill Stanek that she has not received any request from the abortion business for the video.
Albin told LifeNews.com that Planned Parenthood can’t merely explain away the contents of the shocking video, saying "concern and controversy continue to grow surrounding actions of the Memphis Planned Parenthood abortion affiliate."
"The shocking scandal highlights Planned Parenthood’s aggressive marketing of abortion and their willingness to violate laws requiring the immediate reporting of suspected sexual abuse of children to public officials," he said.
Related web sites:
Live Action – https://www.LiveAction.org
New Video – https://liveaction.org/memphis
Tennessee Right to Life – https://www.tnrtl.org
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