Evidence suggests that violence, harassment, and threats targeting abortion care providers and clinic staff have increased in recent years. Abortion providers and clinic staff interviewed for the Reproductive Health Experiences and Access (RHEA) study described experiences of being targeted by anti-abortion protesters and reported concerns about their own safety and the safety of family members.

Why This Matters

Several interviewees noted that the abortion provider workforce is already strained, and worried that increased violence and harassment could deter future generations from entering the field. Although providers remain committed to delivering abortion care, interviewees emphasized the need for state and local policies aimed at protecting providers, clinic staff, and patients, as well as funding to bolster clinic security.

What We Found

In this fact sheet, we present three key findings on abortion provider safety. These findings represent the experiences and views of people we spoke with and may not be generalizable.

• increased violence and limited legal recourse fuel provider safety concerns
• safety threats add strain on the abortion provider workforce
• clinic and policy efforts aim to improve safety

How We Did It

The RHEA study team visited 13 states in 2025, conducting 120 interviews with 164 health care providers, advocates, and policymakers whose work relates to reproductive health care and access.