Truth in advertising of pregnancy counselling services

CHILDREN BY CHOICE ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED

Stop Deceiving Women Now!

Children by Choice has been working to push for legislation to protect women from misleading and deceptive advertising by some anti-choice pregnancy counselling services.

A women's capacity to make an informed decision about an unplanned pregnancy, and access support for her decision making, is compromised when she cannot clearly identify the nature of the organisation in their advertising and promotional material. Many clients of Children by Choice regularly report that they called counselling agencies that they did not realise were anti-choice and were distressed by the false and misleading information they received.

What transparency in advertising does:

-Respects every organisation's right to counsel as they choose.
-Respects every individual's right to choose what service they contact.
-Requires all agencies to disclose in their advertising whether or not they refer for termination of pregnancy.

What it doesn’t do:

-Compel agencies to refer for abortion or face fines.
-Deny public funding to organisations that don’t refer for abortion.
-Deny women the information they need to make an informed choice.

A national study has found 81% of women believe pregnancy counselling services should be able to refer clients to all options: parenthood, adoption or termination.

The lack of regulation is especially unfair to women in difficult circumstances, such as those who must travel long distances to meet with a counsellor. Even the police have been confused about where to refer victims of sexual assault.

Guide to pregnancy support services - supplied by the Australian Greens Online.

All-options pregnancy counselling services

The following genuine pregnancy counselling services will provide full

information on all three possible options that follow an unplanned pregnancy –

abortion, adoption or parenting. They will then work with the woman's

own values to drive her own decision.

*Please check with individual service for exact nature of service available and hours of operation.

National information website - http://www.abortionaccess.info

QLD - Genuine pregnancy counselling services

Children by Choice - state wide, toll free on 1800 177 725 or (07) 3357 5377 in Brisbane

Family Planning Queensland (FPQ) 07 3252 0240

By region

Cairns - FPQ, 37 McLeod Street Cairns: 07 4051 3788

Townsville - FPQ, 45 Eyre Street, North Ward: 07 4771 2005

Rockhampton - FPQ, 83 Bolsover Street, Rockhampton: 07 4927 3999

Ipswich - FPQ, Ipswich Health Plaza Bell Street Ipswich: 07 3281 4088

Toowoomba - FPQ, First Floor 4 Duggan Street Toowoomba: 07 4632 8166

Fortitude Valley - FPQ, 100 Alfred Street, Fortitude Valley: 07 3250 0200

ACT - Genuine pregnancy counselling services

POIS: Pregnancy Options Information Service: 02 6248 6222.

Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT: 02 6247 3077 or http://www.shfpact.org.au/

NSW - Genuine pregnancy counselling services

FPA Health: ph: FPA Healthline: 1300 658 886 or http://www.fpahealth.org.au/

See also the excellent FPA Factsheet about Abortion:

http://fpahealth.org.au/sex-matters/factsheets/62.html

Women's Health NSW

http://www.whnsw.asn.au/

Immigrant Women’s Health Service - 92 Smart St Fairfield: 02-9726 4044

By region

Ashfield - Family Planning NSW, 328-336 Liverpool Rd, Ashfield:

02 8752 4300.

Auburn - The Bessie Smyth Foundation, 39 North Parade: 9649 9744

Bankstown - Women’s Health Centre, 74 Restwell St Bankstown:

02 9790 1378

Bathurst - Central West Women's Health Centre, 20 William St,

Bathurst: 6331 4133

Blacktown - Women's and Girls' Health Centre Inc, 6 Prince Street,

Blacktown: 9831 2070

Blue Mountains - Women's Health Centre, 124 Lurline St,

Katoomba: 4782 5133

Campbelltown - WILMA Lot 22 Bugden Pl Campbelltown 02 4627 2955

Campsie - Sydney Women's Counselling Centre, 4/2 Carrington Square,

Campsie: 9718 1955

Central Coast - Community Women's Health Centre, 37 Maidens Brush Road,

Wyoming: 4324 2533

Coffs Harbour - Women's Health Centre, 74 Victoria Street Coffs Harbour:

02 6652 8111

Dubbo - Family Planning NSW, 221 Darling St, Dubbo: 02 6885 1544

Fairfield - Family Planning NSW, Suite 5, Level 2, Neeta City Shopping

Centre, Smart Street, Fairfield: 9754 1322

Newcastle - Family Planning NSW, 15-19 Queen Street, Cooks Hill:

02 4929 4485

Newcastle - Hunter Women's Centre - Cnr Industrial Dve & Avon St Mayfield

02-4968 2511

Leichhardt - Women's Community Health Centre Inc, 55 Thornley Street

Leichhardt: 02 9560 3011

Lismore and District - Women's Health Centre Inc, 25 Uralba Street Lismore:

02 6621 9800

Lismore Family Planning - Level 3/29 Molesworth Street, Lismore:

02 66 207660

Liverpool - Liverpool Women’s Health Centre 26 Bathurst St Liverpool:

02 9601 3555

Nowra - Shoalhaven Women's Health Centre, 5 McGrath Ave Nowra:

02 4421 0730

Nowra - Waminda Women's Health & Welfare Aboriginal Co-op, 8 Moss

Street: 02 4421 7400

Parramatta - Cumberland Women’s Health Centre 28 Campbell St Parramatta

02-9689 3044

Penrith - The Warehouse Youth Health Centre, 13 Reserve St, Penrith 2750:

02 4721 8330

Penrith - Family Planning NSW, Cnr Henry and Station St, Penrith

02 4721 8749

Wollongong - FPA Health PO Box 2158 Woonona East NSW 2517:

02 4283 2877

Wagga Wagga -Greater Southern Area Health Service Womens Health Clinic

69 Brookong Ave, Wagga Wagga: 02 6938 6511

Wagga Wagga - Wagga Women's Health Centre, 8 Morrow Street, Wagga

Wagga: 02 6921 3333

Woy Woy - Peninsula Women's Health Centre, 20a McMasters Road, Woy

Woy: 4342 5905

Wyong - Rose Cottage Women's Health Centre, 7 Rose St Wyong: 4351 1152

NT- Genuine pregnancy counselling services

Family Planning Welfare NT Darwin 08 8948 0144

Family Planning Welfare NT Alice Springs 25 Todd Mall 08 8953 0288

Family Planning Welfare NT Katherine 17 Raymond Pl 08 8971 3153

SA - Genuine pregnancy counselling services

Shine SA - (ex Family Planning SA): 08 8431 5177

http://www.shinesa.org.au/go/shine-sa-services/counselling

Pregnancy Advisory Centre - 21 Belmore Terrace, Woodville Park: 08 8243 3999

Shopfront Youth Health and Information Service: 08 8281 1775

TAS - Genuine pregnancy counselling services

Family Planning Tasmania: 03 6228 5244 or http://www.fpt.asn.au/

Hobart – Family Planning Clinic, 2 Midwood St, New Town: 6228 5244

Launceston - Family Planning Clinic. 269 Wellington St, Launceston:

6343 4566

North West - Family Planning Clinic, 1 Pine Ave, Upper Burnie: 6431 7692

VIC - Genuine pregnancy counselling services

Family Planning Victoria (FPV): 03 9257 0100 http://www.fpv.net.au/

Box Hill – FPV, 901 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill: 03 9257 0100

City – FPV Action Centre, Level 1, 92-94 Elizabeth Street Melbourne:

03 9654 4766 or Toll free 1800 013 952

Shepparton – FPV Goulburn Valley Health, Graham Street Shepparton:

03 5832 2460

Hoppers Crossing – FPV, 82 Derrimut Rd, Hoppers Crossing: 9742 8155

Cranbourne – FPV, 140-154 Sladen St, Cranbourne: 5990 6789

WA - Genuine pregnancy counselling services

Family Planning WA: 08 9227 6177 http://www.fpwa.org.au/

Sexual Health Helpline: 9227 6178 or 1800 198 205 (country callers)

Northbridge Clinic - 70 Roe St, (Cnr of Roe and Lake St) 9227 6177

Fremantle - Quarry Health Centre (For young people under 25) 7 Quarry St,

Fremantle: 08 9430 4544

_____________________________________________________________

Deceptive Counselling Services

Many of these services have been set up with the intention of discouraging

women from considering abortion. Many use misleading advertising

techniques such as deliberately obscure organisation names that lead women

to think they will receive genuine all-options counselling. The Australian

Greens are campaigning to stop such dishonest behaviour. If you are seeking

genuine all-options counselling The Greens recommend you DO NOT contact

these services.

NATIONAL - Deceptive Counselling Services

Pregnancy Help Australia (Australian Federation of Pregnancy Support

Services): Pregnancy Help line: 1300 139 313

Pregnancy Counselling Australia: 1300 737 732

Pregnancy Counselling Link: 1800 777 690

Open Doors – Counselling and education services: 1800 647 995

The National Pregnancy Support Helpline 1800 422 213

QLD - Deceptive Counselling Services

Brisbane – Pregnancy Counselling Link: 1800 777 690

By region:

City - Pregnancy Counselling (Qld) Inc

Burleigh Heads - Pregnancy and Family Support

Mt Gravatt - Pregnancy Problem Centre Inc

ACT - Deceptive Counselling Services

Pregnancy Support Services ACT Inc.

NSW - Deceptive Counselling Services

Armidale - Pregnancy Support Armidale/New England

Blacktown - Pregnancy Counselling

Campbelltown - Pregnancy Help

Coffs Harbour - Pregnancy Care Coffs Harbour (SVDP)

Bathurst - Pregnancy Caring Bathurst

Baulkham Hills - Diamond Pregnancy Support Inc

Beacon Hill - Pregnancy Support Line

Bellingen - Pregnancy Help.

Doonside/Mt Druitt - Pregnancy Help

Gosford - Central Coast Pregnancy Counselling

Hastings - Pregnancy Support Inc.

Liverpool / Campbelltown - Pregnancy Help

Manly / Warringah - Pregnancy Help Centre

Milton Ulladulla - Pregnancy Support Service

Newcastle - Pregnancy Help Service

Manly / Warringah - Pregnancy Help Centre

Parramatta - Pregnancy Support Parramatta Inc

Port Macquarie - Pregnancy Help Midcoast

Riverina - Pregnancy Help Service

Sydney - Pregnancy Help Sydney Inc

Taree - Manning Pregnancy Support Inc

Young - Pregnancy Help

SA - Deceptive Counselling Services

Birthline Adelaide

Genesis Pregnancy Support Inc - Ascot Park & Mansfield Park

TAS - Deceptive Counselling Services

Pregnancy Counselling (and) Support Service Tas Inc

Hobart - Pregnancy Support Service (Tas) Inc

Launceston - Pregnancy Support Service (Tas) Inc

VIC - Deceptive Counselling Services

Pregnancy Counselling Australia 1300 737 732

Open Doors - Counselling and education services: 9870 7044

or 1800 647 995

By region:

Albury-Wodonga - Pregnancy Support

Albury - Riverina District Hope Alive

Bendigo - Pregnancy Counselling Australia "The Gianna Centre"

Dandenong - Options Plus Care

Geelong - Pregnancy Help Geelong Inc

Morwell - Pregnancy Counselling Australia

Warnambool - Pregnancy Counselling Australia

WA - Deceptive Counselling Services

Pregnancy Lifeline

Pregnancy Assistance

By region:

Albany – Pregnancy Problem Group

Bunbury - Pregnancy Assistance

Bunbury - Pregnancy Help

East Perth - Pregnancy Assistance

Geraldton - Pregnancy Help Geraldton

Nolamara - Pregnancy Problem House

Northlands - Pregnancy Problem House

Pinjarra - Crisis Pregnancy Care

Spearwood - Pregnancy Crossroads

LAST UPDATED: Tuesday 17th June 2010.

If you have updated information or believe the information provided is in anyway incorrect please contact us.

Want more more information on this issue? Children by Choice's submission to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee enquiry into pregnancy counselling service advertising is available for download.