Since the 2022 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which returned abortion law to the states, cities on the southern border of Virginia have become battlegrounds in the abortion fight.
“Cars come from all over the South — Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, you name it,” said Angie Bush, a leader of the 40 Days for Life ministry at St. Anne Church in Bristol. “We are already an abortion destination, a regional hub.”
In Danville, an abortion provider called A Woman’s Choice Inc., opened a location in 2024. David Useche, volunteer and former board member of Transition Pregnancy Solutions and a parishioner of Sacred Heart Church in Danville, said that pro-life leaders are preparing for an increase in traffic, should the proposed amendment, known as Ballot Question 1, to Virginia’s Constitution pass this fall.
“If abortion becomes a constitutional right, we know that there will be more ‘customers,’ ” said Useche. “There may be more abortion clinics. Abortion could become big business.”
“I don’t call it a clinic,” said Bush. “I call it a business, because that’s what it is.”
The amendment could also make these border cities hubs for human trafficking. The amendment guarantees abortion rights to “every individual,” seriously jeopardizing the parental consent laws currently on the books in Virginia. That provision could make Virginia an attractive destination for predators and traffickers who force victims to get abortions.
“The amendment makes it harder to prosecute abusers and predators,” said Jeff Caruso, executive director of the Virginia Catholic Conference.
“The parental consent law we have on the books is in serious jeopardy,” Caruso said. “It’s one of the provisions that shows just how extreme the abortion amendment is.”
In Bristol, the tactics of the abortion industry are brazen, said Bush.
“There is a sign in front of the abortion business that says, ‘Honored to be Bristol’s one and only … abortion clinic,’ ” said Bush. “They are very proud.”
The owner of the Bristol abortion clinic is Diane Derzis, who owned the Mississippi clinic at the center of the Dobbs decision. Derzis owns clinics in several states and has publicly embraced her nickname, “the abortion queen.”
“It’s a spiritual battle,” added Bush. “The devil is trying to use everything to keep the message of life off the streets.”
In Danville, Transition Pregnancy Solutions is preparing for the worst by collaborating with Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center in Lynchburg, a more established organization with greater resources, according to Useche.
He said that paperwork has been drawn up for the organizations to officially merge, and Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center has signed a lease for a new location in the center of town.
“The new location is going to be very centrally located, with proximity to the abortion clinic,” said Useche. “One of the strategies is to increase our visibility.”
Reprinted from The Catholic Virginian with permission.
