Regina Abortion Support Network

A community member needs support for meals and other travel expenses to access abortion. We’ve had a lot of demand lately and the fund is running low. If you have physical gift cards text 306-517-2558 to arrange pick up.

Urgent: we’ve had a recent spike in requests for aid. If you can, please consider making a one time donation to the abortion aid fund. If you aren’t already a monthly donar, check out www.rasn.ca and click ‘donate’ to set it up. Most of the time we rely on those monthly donations to do all the work we do.

Mutual aid request: sometimes barriers to abortion include the time away from work to access and recover from the procedure. Consider donating to RASN or becoming a monthly donor to our mutual aid fund to help us support those in need. Right now we’re looking to raise $550 to help cover lost wages for a community member recovering at home. See our website at www.rasn.ca to support our mutual aid fund!

DONATIONS NEEDED: Our aid fund is running low! We’ve had a higher than usual number of requests in the last several weeks that have depleted our reserve despite monthly and other regular donations. In the last year we’ve been able to provide nearly $5000 in relief funding to make abortion more accessible to those who need it. Here are some of the things we regularly cover with this fund: 1) people without a Sask healthcard must pay full price for Mife - about $350 - we cover whatever private insurance doesn’t or most often the whole cost 2) travel into Regina for surgical abortion isn’t just the price of gas, we regularly pay between $150 - $200 for a hotel stay and meal(s) in Regina. 3) coordinating with the health centre in Regina requires a phone, we are routinely asked to purchase minutes to be in contact with healthcare providers and support people - we usually pay around $50 to make sure the person has phone minutes & texts to connect with services & supports for several weeks. 4) many of the people we help have older children who must be cared for while their parent travels for abortion care. If the person is hiring a babysitter we offer $100 per day/night of travel. $75 if the person is in Regina. 5) occasionally travel out of the province is needed. This year RASN worked with national and neighbouring provincial organizations to make this travel as cheep as possible for Sask people accessing abortion care. On average, we grant $300 - $500 to offset the cost of travel, hotels, meals, ride shares/taxis etc.

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Keep this in mind as Anti-Trans rhetoric continues to get louder and bolder in our communities. Anti-abortion rhetoric and Anti-trans rhetoric are two sides of the same coin. In Saskatchewan abortion care and gender affirming care are restricted, gatekept, and intentionally misrepresented in extremely similar ways. We cannot achieve progress - let alone liberation- without intersectional movements. RASN stands in solidarity with trans communities.

THANK YOU to everyone who has supported our work! In the last 8 months we’ve worked tirelessly to make abortion more accessible. Please continue to support us by 1) making a donation to our aid fund. (Consider becoming a monthly donor!) 2) becoming a support volunteer (next training is coming up April 16, 23, & 30) 3) join our mailing lists to stay up to date with RASN’s work!

ANNOUNCING: comprehensive trauma informed volunteer training! This training will take place over 3 days: April 16, 23, and 30… this training includes information about abortion AND covers other reproductive healthcare such as gender affirming care, contraception access, and more… Space will be somewhat limited, pay what you can with all proceeds going to cover costs of training - extras going into our aid fund. Sign up at tinyurl.com/RASN-volunteer

Oops! Sorry about that… our incoming emails are currently down. The best way to get in touch while we resolve the email issue is to call or text our phone line: 306-517-2558

A national shortage of Mifegymiso has been making access to medical abortion that much trickier in Saskatchewan. To maintain access, our volunteer drivers have been coordinating with the SHA, clinics, pharmacists, and pregnant people to deliver Mife to those who need it. While back orders are anticipated to be filled by the new year, December has been, and will continue to be, a busy one for our volunteers. This has meant an increase in fuel and other resources as we provide our usual services as well. If you are able, please consider donating to our emergency fund so we can continue to connect Sask residents with the abortion care they need!

Tomorrow is the first day of budget meetings at YQR city council. Our council will review items, hear from delegates in the community, and ultimately vote on a multi-year city budget. Back in July, city council unanimously directed the city manager to include line-item funding to end homelessness using a housing first model in this budget. The manager did not do this. The manager has been playing fast and loose with numbers to inflate the cost of this line item and undermine council support for the project. Over the coming days activists and community members will be fighting HARD to hold the city accountable to their promise. Full stop - access to safe supportive housing is reproductive justice. The appalling lack of housing in our community puts people at risk of domestic & sexual violence, prevents access to menstrual care, birth control, perinatal care, and abortion care. It puts pregnant people at the mercy of a social service system that has few options other than apprehending children from housing insecure parents. It puts pregnant people at risk of police interactions and incarceration where reproductive choice is further restricted. It restricts dignity and self-determination. Follow the link in our stories to send your mayor and council an email!

That time we had a giving Tuesday post all primed and ready to go… then … uh… forgot to post it on giving Tuesday… 😅 … if you’re in a giving WEDNESDAY mood, consider the folks at:

More abortion Myths - our Minister of Health has repeatedly implied that accessing ‘surgery’ in bigger cities is just a norm that everyone should accept (my aging relatives in rural Sask beg to differ!) And that it’s unreasonable to expect access to surgical abortion in smaller centres… except… surgical abortions (D&C) are already happening in smaller settings. It’s a simple procedure used in a variety of obstetric situations. The only thing stopping people in smaller centres from having access to surgical abortion is the distinction between ‘elective’ and ‘non-elective’ procedures… well guess what? abortions AREN’T elective. A pregnant person who does not want or cannot remain pregnant NEEDS access to abortion. Full stop.

The media and ministry comments after last week’s question period made it clear that we’ve got some myth busting to do! First myth - our minister of health seems to think that a surgical abortion requires a full operating theatre or some kind of specialized equipment/care. The fact is surgical abortions are fairly quick simple procedures (though how quick and how simple depend on how far along the pregnancy is)… what does it actually look like?

Today we joined with and many others to urge our government to remove barriers to abortion care! We want consistent services across major cities in Saskatchewan, a centralized booking hotline, and clear best practice guidelines for physicians, nurse practitioners, midwives, and any other prescribing healthcare practitioner to ensure appropriate treatment or referral for those seeking medical abortion.

The US midterms AND the last legislative session in Sask… let’s show up, in solidarity with those affected by Roe & those in our own province struggling to access abortion care…

A recent study by the Canadian Hub for Applied and Social Research has shown what we at RASN already knew. The vast VAST majority of people in Saskatchewan support abortion access. The majority of left, centre, and right wingers. The majority of people who consider themselves religious and those who consider themselves non-religious. People of all backgrounds overwhelmingly support abortion. So let’s not allow a vocal minority to dictate the conversation, and let’s not allow them to act as though their political or religious affiliations make their efforts to restrict access to medical care righteous.

Whether you’re considering your options, actively seeking abortion, or wanting support throughout the process, RASN volunteers are here for you. Our phone line is open 9am to 9pm, or you can email us at [email protected]

A small excerpt from the trauma informed abortion support training being developed for Regina and area volunteers - understanding trauma is essential to what we do at RASN. While abortion itself isn’t inherently traumatic, living in a society that stigmatizes and restricts reproductive choice is. The individual and system interactions involved in accessing abortion care can sometimes bring up old traumas, or add to current stressors.

Great to see this post from the Midwives Association of Saskatchewan - MAS … every practitioner who is able (and according to the WHO there are lots!) needs to be trained to deliver abortion care.

Broadening health worker roles in safe abortion care & post-abortion contraception Specialized doctors are in short supply all over the world, so women often struggle to find a trained safe abortion provider. One way to increase access to s...

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ANNOUNCING: a mini-training for support volunteers. This training is for those with prior experience providing peer support or aid to others in a health setting. It will cover the basics of abortion access, being trauma informed, and RASN procedures… there will be a larger more in-depth training offered in the fall for those with less experience. Please email [email protected] to register… Monday august 15th - 7-9pm on zoom

Many people report being able to return to work and other activities immediately after their abortion - but you don’t have to! As with any medical procedure, it’s important to take time to rest and heal after a medical or surgical abortion. Gentle movement, simple foods, heat for cramps, and someone to chat with are all valuable for your recovery. be kind to yourself!

RASN is dedicated to helping pregnant people overcome individual barriers, but we never lose sight of the fact that these barriers are also systemic. Here are 4 systemic barriers to medical abortion (‘abortion pill’, mifegymiso, pharmaceutical abortion) in Saskatchewan.

How is our network different from a crisis pregnancy centre? in quite a few ways. We understand why people are cautious about a new organization claiming to help pregnant people, since crisis centres claim to do the same. RASN offers evidence-based information and support to all pregnant people based on their own needs and goals. No matter what you decide to do, our volunteers will support you with information, practical support like rides, access to our aid fund, and referrals to trusted organizations who offer services you want.

Reminder to RSVP for our upcoming event! rasn.ca/events …how much of your knowledge about abortion has been shaped by anti-choice rhetoric? Join RASN for a short fact-based lesson on abortion, what it entails, who accesses it, and how we can support reproductive justice in the province.

We get asked a lot why we’re not actively helping Americans cross the border to access abortions in Saskatchewan. The fact is we would never turn anyone who asked for our help away regardless of nationality - BUT we’re not actively encouraging or facilitating boarder crossing as a solution to roe v wade… and here’s why. 1) it isn’t an equitable solution. Crossing a national boarder is risky or just not possible for folks with varying immigration statuses, folks with criminal records, youth under 18, and anyone without a passport for whatever reason. 2) Saskatchewan has limited capacity to meet the needs of an influx of American service users 3) most importantly - that’s not what american activists are asking for! To support Americans closest to Saskatchewan mobilize local solutions. Donate to the Red River Women’s Clinic in Fargo & the North Dakota abortion fund. Links on last slide.

Did you know that all donations to our Abortion Aid Fund receive an entry into our shop-local draw? Here's what you've get if you win!

Many thanks to Hampton Hub, District Brewing Company, Happy Hi Coffee, Ali Lauren Creative Services, Flamingo Rampant, and Briarpatch Magazine !!!

Special shout out to Mortise & Tenon Shop and T+A Vintage for your additional support!

Next TWO donations over $100 recieve a gift card from T&A.. and $5 from every house brand candle and bath salt pack at M&T will be donated to RASN!

Donate at: www.rasn.ca