Pro Life Media Australia

Introduction:

The abortion rate in Australia is a national tragedy. It is estimated that currently there are over 100,000 babies killed each year. In Queensland that figure is around 15,000. This equates to a rate of around 280 abortions in Australia PER DAY!

It is of further concern to us that not only are we failing to address such an indescribable tragedy, but that the cost to the Australian taxpayer, in terms of claims made against Medicare, last year was $11,496,798.00, and in Queensland the amount claimed was $2,304,898.00 (HIC).

Young women aged 20-24 have more than one abortion for every two live births, according to figures provided by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

For every five children born alive, two are killed by abortion. It is a sad, but fair comment to make that in our country, the most dangerous place for a baby to be is in his or her mother’s womb!

Overcoming:

Cutting edge research was done in America during 1994 and 1997, by the Vitae Foundation, a pro-life group based in Missouri, U.S.A., and which presents the pro-life message to the public using media messaging.
For a better understanding of their work go to: www.vitaecaringfoundation.org.

This research was carried out on the psychology of pro-choice women in an attempt to find why the “traditional” methods used by the pro-life movement for over 36 years have not been as effective as they might.

Based on this research, the Vitae Foundation modified it’s media messages and now has as its primary focus the goal of changing the culture of abortion which presently exists in American society; to alter the mind-set of the people. They believe that for any lasting change to be achieved, a person must have a change of heart. When this happens, a drop in the abortion rate will automatically follow.

It is the remarkable success that the Vitae Foundation has had with its series of media messages in turning around the abortion culture in America, and consequently reducing the abortion rate in a relatively short period of time, which has inspired the founding members of ProLife Media Inc. (PLM) to explore the possibility of duplicating this work in Australia.

Their consultants suggest that the psychological insights from their research cross cultural as well as national barriers. In fact, the Australian culture is very much the same as the American culture, particularly in regard to the abortion issue.

Recent Change in Legislation:

On 10 October 2008 the Victorian Government decriminalised abortion up to 24 weeks gestation.
However, because of a loophole, in practice it is available on demand right up to birth.

The implications of this legislation are horrendous. Not only does it, in effect, allow the killing of babies right up to birth, but it also takes away the right of conscientious objection from doctors, and all other involved medical personnel. Should an objecting doctor be asked by a mother to abort her child, he must, according to this law, refer her to another doctor who he knows has no such objection.

Furthermore, according to this legislation, should he be faced with a pregnancy, the continuation of which would be a threat to the mother’s life (in fact this is a clinical fiction), he must perform the abortion himself.

To our knowledge, there is no other country in the Western World that has such a law!

There are other follow-on effects that would have the potential of changing the way that medicine is practiced in our society.

Following the recent state election in Queensland, and the Labour Party being returned with a very high number of Emily’s List members, including the Premier, a similar Bill is expected before that Parliament in the near future. New South Wales and the other states and territories will, in all probability, follow suit.

A Change in Strategy:

ProLife Media (PLM) is now partnering with Vitae in so far as research and strategy are concerned.

Vitae has assumed a mentoring role which is invaluable to PLM.

Since the global financial crisis, they have found that it is very much more difficult to raise funds, and that it takes much longer. Their donors are not willing to wait that long to see that their money is saving lives.

Commencing in 2008, it implemented for the first time “Integrated Marketing” in New York City, the “Abortion Capital of America”, in an attempt to bring down costs, whilst retaining the ability to measure the results. “Integrated Marketing” is simply the utilising of a variety of advertising mediums instead of just television.

They have also changed their target audience to young, pregnant girls, aged 16-25 years. This audience doesn’t watch as much television as older demographics. Rather, it uses the Internet more, as well as such programs as MTV, etc. Also, with the cost of petrol increasing, it is using public transport far more frequently.

Vitae is now using media that focus on reducing the abortion rate. As funding increases, they will merge the “culture-changing” commercials back into the program.

In the New York City campaign, Vitae used MTV, the Internet, posters on the subway system and in buses, and print ads in a Spanish language newspaper frequently used by abortion providers. These ads display the phone number of a Crisis Pregnancy Centre. Their effectiveness is measured by the increase in calls to this number during the campaign. Additionally, the Crisis Pregnancy Centre keeps in contact with the mother for the duration of the pregnancy. In this way they are able to maintain statistics on the number of babies that are actually saved.

In 2008 more than 2,000 babies were saved from abortion during the N.Y.C. campaign!

Vitae has given PLM copyright permission to use the words in all of its television commercials, as well as the design used on its posters. This will be invaluable to PLM. Australian commercials will need to be produced using similar scenarios, but it is the words that contain the subliminal message that the woman in crisis relates to, and which causes her to change her mind and give life to her child. These television commercials and posters have been tested in a culture that is very similar to our own, particularly in so far as abortion is concerned.

Our main priority now is to seek those who are willing to financially contribute to the raising of the funds needed to mount integrated media campaigns in the Brisbane Media Market.
The cost of these campaigns varies significantly depending on the chosen venue.
Our supporters will be kept updated in this regard.

We will enter the other main media markets in Australia as funding becomes available.

Should you wish to become a member of our life-saving team, please complete the Application Form and mail it to the address which is on the form, along with the annual subscription of $22.00. Methods of payment are on the Application Form.