It's a fairly extensive survey.
Nowhere is there any hint of violence against doctors who provide abortions.
In 2012, there were 798 reported incidents of violence.
In a population of 92 000 generalists and 107 000 specialists.
Fifty-six per cent of acts of violence were against generalists.
The three most victimized specialist groups are ophthalmologists, psychiatrists and dermatologists. OB\GYN's are number five.
66% of the incidents involved verbal violence or threats.
23% involved theft or attempted theft.
11% involved vandalism.
12% involved physical aggression.
I point out these figures because it is constantly lobbied at pro-lifers that they are an inherently violent group.
That is simply not true.
France has a very active pro-life movement-- not very successful on the legislative front, but very good at crisis pregnancy and prayer witness. (I don't think it's legal to protest in front abortion clinics in France but I'd have to re-check). I'd say that their greatest success has been getting the word out on the psychological distress caused by abortion. It is widely accepted in France by the mainstream.
If there had been one single act of violence among French pro-lifers, it would have been all over the papers.
The violence associated with the pro-life movement is largely confined to the United States.
The assassinations that have taken place in Canada against abortionists was done by an American.
The United States has a more violent culture.
There are people on the fringe who support violence against those involved in abortion.
They are on the fringe and rejected by the mainstream pro-life movement. Mainstream pro-life organizations condemn violence and want nothing to do with violence.
That violence is not something we see in Canada.
To say that pro-lifers are inherently violent is a self-serving unfounded smear. Millions of people peacefully witness to the sanctity of life. To generalize from a small number of incidents is fallacious and dishonest.
