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New Poll Shows Americans Continuing to Move Toward Pro-Life Position on Abortion

86 Percent Favor Significant Restrictions; Majority Believes Abortion Hurts a Woman Long-Term.

Abortion in America
July 2009

The American people continue to move to the pro-life perspective on abortion according to the latest Moral Compass survey by the Knights of Columbus and Marist Poll.

The poll mirrored findings of other recent surveys, showing that more Americans identify as pro-life than as pro-choice, and that the vast majority of Americans favor restricting abortion.

Among the key findings:

· 86 percent of Americans would significantly restrict abortion.
· 60 percent of Americans would limit abortion to cases of rape, incest or to save the life of a mother – or would not allow it at all.
· 53 percent of Americans believe abortion does more harm than good to a woman in the long term.
· 79 percent of Americans support conscience exemptions on abortion for health care workers. This includes 64 percent of those who identify as strongly pro-choice.
· 69 percent of Americans think that it is appropriate for religious leaders to speak out on abortion.
· 59 percent say religious leaders have a key role to play in the abortion debate.
· 80 percent of Americans believe that laws can protect both the health of the woman and the life of the unborn. This includes 68 percent of those who identified as strongly pro-choice.

Additionally, the data showed that since October nearly every demographic sub-group had moved toward the pro-life position except for non-practicing Catholics and men under 45 years of age.

Independents and liberals showed the greatest shift to the pro-life position since October, while Democrats were slightly less likely to be pro-life now than they were in October.

“The data shows that the American people are placing an ever increasing value on human life,” said Supreme Knight Carl Anderson. “Far from the great divide that most people think exists when it comes to the abortion debate, there is actually a great deal of common ground. Most Americans are unhappy with the unrestricted access to abortion that is the legacy of Roe vs. Wade, and pundits and elected leaders should take note of the fact that agreement on abortion need not be limited to the fringes of the debate and issues like adoption or pre-natal care. The American people have reached a basic consensus, and that consensus is at odds with the unrestricted access to abortion that is the legacy of Roe.”

The survey of 1,223 Americans was conducted May 28 – 31 and has a margin of error of +/-3 percent.

More Knights of Columbus-Marist Polls


1 - 6 of 6


2009



7/10/2009	New Poll Shows Americans Continuing to Move Toward Pro-Life Position on Abortion

	The American people continue to move to the pro-life perspective on abortion according to the latest Moral Compass survey by the Knights of Columbus and Marist Poll.

5/17/2009	A Year After Visit, Pope Benedict Very Popular with Americans

	In a new column on Zenit, Supreme Knight Carl Anderson discusses the meaning and significance of U.S. attitudes toward Pope Benedict XVI. • Supreme Knight's Article on Zenit • New Marist Poll on Pope

4/9/2009	Catholics and Other Christians Consider Easter Very Important; Most Plan Church Attendance

	Nearly two-thirds of Americans (63 percent) and three-quarters of Catholic Americans (74 percent) plan to observe Easter by attending Church services according to a newly released Knights of Columbus-Marist poll.

2/26/2009	Marist Poll Proves Ethics Should be Priority

	A nationwide poll commissioned by the Knights of Columbus found that the majority of public believes that corporate America needs a new moral direction. The results of the study indicate that most Americans give corporate America poor or failing grades for honesty and ethics and rate the country’s business leadership as poor during this time of economic crisis.


2008



10/22/2008	Parental Notification Initiative Leads 52% to 33% among Likely California Voters

	A newly released survey of California voters shows Proposition 4, a proposed law that would require a waiting period and parental notification before a girl under 18 was allowed to have an abortion - has a 19 percentage point lead among likely voters, 52% to 33%. The poll was conducted for the Knights of Columbus by the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion between September 28 and October 5, 2008.

10/14/2008	84% Back Restrictions on Abortion

	A nationwide poll shows that 35 years after the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision in Roe v. Wade, public support for the court’s unrestricted access to abortion throughout an entire pregnancy stands at just 8 percent. The poll was conducted for the Knights of Columbus by the Marist College Institute of Public Opinion.