Working Paper: NBER ID: w16603
Authors: Mireille Jacobson; Heather Royer
Abstract: Between 1973 and 2003, abortion providers in the United States were the targets of over 300 acts of extreme violence. Using unique data on attacks and on abortions, abortion providers, and births, we examine how anti-abortion violence has affected providers' decisions to perform abortions and women's decisions about whether and where to terminate a pregnancy. We find that clinic violence reduces abortion services in targeted areas. Once travel is taken into account, however, the overall effect of the violence is much smaller.
Keywords: Abortion; Violence; Terrorism
JEL Codes: D74; I18; J13
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| antiabortion violence (J13) | abortion services (J13) |
| antiabortion violence (J13) | provider availability (I11) |
| antiabortion violence (J13) | abortion rates (J13) |
| antiabortion violence (J13) | nonhospital-based providers (I11) |
| antiabortion violence (J13) | long-term change in abortion service availability (J18) |
| antiabortion violence (J13) | displacement effect (F16) |
| antiabortion violence (J13) | location of abortions (J13) |