Abigail Echo-Hawk (Pawnee), Executive Vice President of Seattle Indian Health Board issued the following statement after hearing the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
“Seattle Indian Health Board is appalled by the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which will disproportionately impact Native and BIPOC communities. The right for women to make decisions over their bodies and for their wellbeing has just been taken away.
While the Seattle Indian Health Board does not provide abortion services due to the strict regulations of federal funding, we adamantly support the right of individuals looking to access this essential service.
There are misconceptions about abortions that have been perpetually enforced by religious radicals, but people need to understand that reproductive rights and systemic violence are inextricably linked, and this decision means we will likely see violence against Native women increase, which our community already experiences at some of the highest rates.
We will likely see a rise in the deaths of Native mothers and babies during pregnancies, which our community also already experiences at some of the highest rates.
When we factor in the statistics—and the federal government’s history of creating barriers for Native communities to access necessary services—it’s clear that the Supreme Court considers Native people irrelevant.
While there is a lot of work to be done to fix the harm that has happened today, we will keep fighting for our people and the right to sovereignty over our bodies.”
