FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Elianna Schiffrik, H*yas for Choice Director of Communications, elianna@hyasforchoice.com
H*YAS FOR CHOICE BRINGS EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION TO
GEORGETOWN
After providing free condoms for years, student group aims to address unmet need by offering “morning-after pill” to campus community
WASHINGTON, DC ‒ Today, unrecognized student reproductive justice group H*yas for Choice announced via video the beginning of a new initiative to provide emergency contraception, commonly known as Plan B, on Georgetown’s campus for the first time. As a Catholic and Jesuit university, Georgetown prohibits the distribution or sale of any contraceptives on campus. In order to fill that need, H*yas for Choice has been providing condoms, lube, dental dams, and other safer sex supplies on Georgetown’s campus for decades. Emergency contraception, however, has remained physically and financially unavailable and inaccessible, with the nearest vendor nearly a mile from campus and costing between $30 and $60 for the over-the-counter medication.
“Georgetown does not make it easy to access the reproductive and sexual healthcare that our community needs. But if they won’t meet our needs, we’ll build our own systems and meet them ourselves,” said Angela Maske NHS ‘19, President of H*yas for Choice
Interested students will be able to obtain emergency contraception, which prevents pregnancy when taken up to five days after unprotected sex or birth control failure, by emailing H*yas for Choice at planb@hyasforchoice.com. Designated H*yas for Choice members will respond and meet up with the requesting student to provide the emergency contraception and some basic information about its use. Unlike their condom distribution, H*yas for Choice will not provide this contraceptive option at their table in Red Square, and will arrange a discreet meeting location in the interest of maintaining the privacy of students utilizing the service. Although H*yas for Choice will provide emergency contraception free of charge, they do recommend interested students make a $10 donation to the organization in support of this and other services.
H*yas for Choice is the unrecognized reproductive justice group at Georgetown University.
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