The UPLJ’s Interview With Kaytlin Wojtowicz

June 14, 2023

Kaitlyn Wojtowicz for UPLJ.

Kaitlyn Wojtowicz is the Vice President of Public Affairs at Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey. In that position, Ms. Wojtowicz played a big role in pushing for the passage of the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act. The Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act guarantees a woman’s right to abortion in the State of New Jersey.

This interview with Ms. Wojtowicz was conducted by the Senior Blog Editor of the Undergraduate Politics and Law Journal on March 31.

Please visit abortionfinder.org for more information on how to access reproductive healthcare in New Jersey.

Tracy Osawe: Before we start our discussion, can you tell me a bit about yourself and why you chose a career path advocating for women’s health?

Ms. Wojtowicz: My name is Kaitlyn Wojtowicz and I serve as the Vice President of Public Affairs at Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey. I’ve actually been with Planned Parenthood since I was an undergraduate student at The College of New Jersey. I started out as a student organizer, intern and volunteer. Then, I continued to play a variety of professional roles, which ultimately led to my current role as Vice President of Public Affairs. Truthfully, I’ve always had a passion for reproductive rights and health care. So I knew early on that working to advance policies and laws that protect and expand access to sexual and reproductive health care was my calling.

Tracy Osawe: Wow. Amazing. It’s very nice to know that there are women like you who fight for the rights of all women.

Ms. Wojtowicz: Thank you.

Tracy Osawe: Of course. Now, can you explain how Dobbs v. Jackson affected abortion rights?

Kaitlyn Wojtowicz: Dobbs v. Jackson effectively overturned the prior decision in Roe v. Wade and held that there is no Constitutional right to abortion. Therefore, states have the right to restrict or outright ban abortion as they see fit. So far, since Dobbs was decided in June 2022, twenty states have severely restricted or made abortion illegal.

Tracy Osawe: Okay. So compared to a more conservative state like Texas, how is New Jersey different when it comes to reproductive healthcare?

Ms. Wojtowicz: Well, in New Jersey we’re fortunate. We have the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act. That was signed into law by Governor Murphy in January 2021, and it protects the right to an abortion in New Jersey. We don’t have things such as waiting periods or week limits. However, as you have seen, many states are not as fortunate. For example, you look at states like Florida, and they’re attempting to establish a six-week abortion ban. In most cases folks don’t even know they’re pregnant at six weeks.

Tracy Osawe: It’s interesting you mention that most people don’t know they’re pregnant at six weeks. So why do you think some states would like to establish such unreasonable time constraints?

Ms. Wojtowicz: Well, at Planned Parenthood we believe that every pregnancy is different. And doctors will tell you that every pregnancy is different. And so putting time constraints on abortion is really harmful for folks who may find out later in their pregnancy that there is a fetal abnormality. Or that there is a health risk to the pregnant person. It also can take some time for folks to come up with the money to pay for an abortion. So these time constraints are really just another way to stop people from having access to health care. They’re not about trying to implement reasonable restrictions on abortion.

Tracy Osawe: So can these time constraints also complicate matters for physicians? Can they affect a physician’s ability to properly care for a pregnant woman?

Ms. Wojtowicz: In many of the states where we’ve seen total bans on abortion, many physicians and OBGYN’s are leaving because they can’t practice the standard of care that they believe pregnant women deserve. In some cases, you’ll also see a woman with a wanted pregnancy who begins to miscarry but can’t access an abortion - which is used for miscarriage management. Depending on the laws of the state, that woman may get sicker and sicker before the doctor can legally tend to her. A few women have actually documented their journeys of becoming septic because a doctor could not legally perform an abortion when they miscarried. That’s really scary.

Tracy Osawe: Wow. That’s a traumatizing experience. So as far as crossing state lines for an abortion, can women do that? Better yet, can a woman from say, Texas – where abortion is illegal – come to New Jersey to get an abortion? Would New Jersey be able to help that woman?

Ms. Wojtowicz: Yes and yes. If someone comes to New Jersey or any other state where abortion is legal, they are able to get the care they need. However, we also have to realize how that greatly impacts people with low incomes, people with no health insurance and people who may have limited means to travel. And unfortunately, that means that Black and Brown communities are more affected by this because of, you know, historic disinvestment in Black and Brown communities, racism, medical racism. So unfortunately, they are the ones who are impacted the most.

Tracy Osawe: Hmmm. Then would you agree with me if I said that abortion bans particularly affect low-income neighborhoods?

Ms. Wojtowicz: Absolutely. It affects anyone who is not financially privileged and can easily afford to travel for care.

Tracy Osawe: Has New Jersey passed any legislature protecting a woman’s right to abortion?

Ms. Wojtowicz: We do have the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act, which I mentioned earlier. That guarantees the legal right to abortion in New Jersey. Then we also have two bills that protect someone’s health information from being used to issue a subpoena. That way, the state in question won’t be able to use that person’s health information to prosecute them for leaving the state to get an abortion.

Tracy Osawe: So just to make sure I’m understanding this correctly, are some states looking to criminally prosecute women for having abortions?

Ms. Wojtowicz: Yes. That is something that some states are looking into. Some states are even looking to criminally prosecute providers or people who helped someone obtain an abortion. So that could be a friend who helps to pay for the abortion, a friend who drives someone to a health center across state lines, or even someone who houses a person who got an abortion.

Tracy Osawe: Are there any states who already implemented such laws?

Ms. Wojtowicz: Yes. Texas.

Tracy Osawe: Okay. Does Texas have some sort of set definition for the term help? Like, what must a person do to be criminally prosecuted for helping someone get an abortion?

Ms. Wojtowicz: I personally haven’t read the Texas law. But based on my understanding, it would be anyone who was helpful to someone during their abortion.

Tracy Osawe: Okay. Okay. So to round this up here, what advice would you give New Jersey women who are not able to afford an abortion?

Ms. Wojtowicz: At Planned Parenthood health centers no one is ever turned away because of their inability to pay. There are also resources like the New Jersey Abortion Access Fund, which can help cover the cost.

Tracy Osawe: And finally, as a college student who is pro-choice, what can me and my peers do in order to advocate for a woman’s right to an abortion?

Ms. Wojtowicz: One, make sure you’re paying attention to what’s happening in your state. Make sure you become familiar with your state’s abortion laws. And make sure you understand your legal rights in New Jersey. And at the local level, advocate on your college campus to ensure that reproductive health care is accessible. And of course, get involved with Planned Parenthood. You can find more information on how to get involved on our website – ppactionnj.org.

Tracy Osawe: Thank you so much for this interview! Really, I look forward to posting this on our blog.

Ms. Wojtowicz: Thank you so much! Have a great rest of your day!