Woman Confesses To Targeting Pro-Life Center
Whitney M. Durant, also known as Soren Monroe, has pleaded guilty to charges related to vandalizing a pro-life pregnancy care center in Ohio. The incident involved Durant spray-painting messages like “abort God” and “Liars” on the building of HerChoice, a pro-life center located in Bowling Green. Durant, a student at Bowling Green State University during the act, entered the guilty plea for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, a federal law designed to prevent intentional damage to facilities providing reproductive healthcare services.
U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko stressed the government’s commitment to enforcing federal laws ensuring access to all clinics offering reproductive health services, regardless of the specific range of services they provide. Despite HerChoice not offering abortion care, Durant’s act of vandalism was considered a breach of federal law. The sentencing hearing is set for April, with Durant potentially facing up to one year in prison for the misdemeanor charge under the FACE Act.
The vandalism at HerChoice, initially reported by Ohio Right to Life in April, included spray-painted phrases such as “Fake Clinic,” “Jane’s Revenge,” “Fund Abortion,” and “Abort God” on the clinic’s exterior. “Jane’s Revenge” refers to a pro-choice group known for threatening and attacking pro-life organizations and churches. Durant, identifying as nonbinary, was associated with the Bowling Green Student Rights Union and BGSocialists during her university years. Despite condemning vandalism, the BGSRU expressed support for non-violent forms of protest, providing a GoFundMe link for Durant’s legal fees and endorsing a successful Ohio referendum that established abortion as a state constitutional right.
The incident and legal proceedings highlight the ongoing tensions surrounding reproductive rights and activism in the United States, with legal frameworks such as the FACE Act aiming to balance access to healthcare services while addressing acts of intentional damage to facilities offering such services.