College of Nursing, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Colorado; University of Colorado Population Center (CUPC), University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado.
University of Colorado Population Center (CUPC), University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado; Department of Sociology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado.
J Adolesc Health. 2019 Jan;64(1):20-25. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.07.017. Epub 2018 Sep 6.
Like many states, Texas requires parental consent for adolescents under 18 to access abortion care. Adolescents who cannot obtain parental consent can try to obtain a judicial bypass of parental consent through the court system. Little is known about adolescents' experiences with the judicial bypass process. Working with Jane's Due Process, an organization providing legal representation for adolescents, we explored adolescents' experiences with the judicial bypass process.
We conducted phone interviews with 20 adolescents, 16-19 years old in Texas between September and December 2016 about their experiences trying to obtain a judicial bypass. Data analysis included inductive and deductive coding based on theories about engaging with the court system and stigma regarding abortion and adolescent sexuality.
In addition to unpredictability and logistic burdens such as finding time away from school and arranging transportation, participants described the bypass process as "intimidating" and "scary" and described judges and guardians-ad-litem who shamed them, "preached" at them, and discredited evidence of their maturity. Data suggest adolescents internalize stigma and trauma they experienced through rationalizing both the need for the bypass process and disrespectful treatment by authority figures.
We found the bypass process functions as a form of punishment and allows state actors to humiliate adolescents for their personal decisions. The bypass process was implemented to protect adolescents from alleged negative emotional consequences of abortion, yet our results suggest the bypass process itself causes emotional harm through unpredictability and humiliation. Despite participants' resilience, the process may have negative consequences for adolescent health.
与许多州一样，德克萨斯州要求 18 岁以下的青少年获得父母同意才能接受堕胎护理。无法获得父母同意的青少年可以尝试通过法院系统获得父母同意的司法豁免。对于青少年在司法豁免程序中的经历，人们知之甚少。我们与 Jane's Due Process 合作，该组织为青少年提供法律代表，探讨了青少年在司法豁免程序中的经历。
我们在 2016 年 9 月至 12 月期间对德克萨斯州的 20 名 16-19 岁青少年进行了电话访谈，了解他们试图获得司法豁免的经历。数据分析包括基于与法院系统互动和关于堕胎和青少年性行为的耻辱感的理论进行的归纳和演绎编码。
除了不可预测性和物流负担（如从学校请假和安排交通）外，参与者还将豁免程序描述为“恐吓”和“可怕”，并描述了法官和监护人对他们进行羞辱、“对他们说教”以及对他们成熟证据的不信任。数据表明，青少年将他们在通过理性化获得豁免程序和权威人士不尊重的待遇过程中所经历的耻辱和创伤内化。
我们发现，豁免程序是一种惩罚形式，允许州政府官员因个人决定而羞辱青少年。该程序的实施是为了保护青少年免受堕胎可能带来的负面情绪后果，但我们的结果表明，该程序本身通过不可预测性和羞辱会造成情绪伤害。尽管参与者具有韧性，但该程序可能对青少年健康产生负面影响。
