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TagsNew Jersey clinic at center of sex trafficking stunt by anti-abortion group Live Action
BY BOB HOLT
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
A central New Jersey Planned Parenthood clinic is at the center of a sex-trafficking video filmed by an anti-abortion group.
California-based group Live Action released the video, which was recorded January 13 at a clinic in Perth Amboy. It depicts a Planned Parenthood clinic manager, who has since been fired, offering to help cover up a sex ring so that its prostitutes could receive health services.
In the video, a woman identified as the clinic manager converses with a man and a woman posing as sex traffickers regarding their interest in accessing contraception, abortions and sexually transmitted-disease testing for underage prostitutes.
According to an Associated Press report at msnbc.com, in the video, the manager advises that the underage girls could lie about their age to lessen the chance of triggering an investigation once they sought health services.
The video also shows the employee suggesting that prostitutes could get cheaper contraception by claiming they were students.
Live Action targeted Planned Parenthood clinics in five states and Washington, D.C. last month. The video was posted on YouTube, and created a national uproar.
"We were profoundly shocked when we viewed the videotape, which depicted an employee of one of our health centers behaving in a repugnant manner that is inconsistent with our standards of care and is completely unacceptable,'' Phyllis Kinsler, executive director of Planned Parenthood of Central Jersey said in a statement.
By day's end, Kinsler said, three Planned Parenthood clinics under her supervision — Perth Amboy, Hazlet and Shrewsbury — had received about 10 "harassing" phone calls, including one saying, "They should just bomb your place." She reported the calls to the FBI and local police and asked for their help tightening security.
Attorney General Paula Dow asked the Division of Criminal Justice to investigate whether the manager broke any laws.
Lila Rose, president of Live Action, said the video "proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Planned Parenthood intentionally breaks state and federal laws and covers up the abuse of young girls it claims to serve." The group suggested laws on aiding and abetting sex traffickers were broken.
The Planned Parenthood Federation of America said the FBI had been collecting evidence from Planned Parenthood employees and clinics, and reviewing photos of at least one of the persons claiming to be a trafficker.
NJ.com reports the video revived a bitter battle between New Jersey Right to Life and a group of lawmakers protesting Christie's decision last year to stop state funding for 58 family planning centers and now urging him to sign a bill to expand the state's Medicaid program so more women can get family planning and other health services.
According to Reuters, Planned Parenthood said it already notified authorities in New Jersey after the visit and said similar unusual visits occurred in at least 11 centers in six states within one week.
The state health department is investigating. NJ.com reports their review of Metropolitan Medical Associates will include "an examination of patient medical records, interviews with staff and observations of the facility to ensure that it is complying with all regulations," according to Department of Health and Senior Services spokeswoman Donna Leusner.
