Woman Offers Her Home To Travelers From Other States Seeking Abortions In California
San Diego -- A woman living in California is opening her door to people traveling to the state to get abortions.
Mariana Cervantes said she knew she had to do something to support women after the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade.
Cervantes is originally from Arizona, a state that now bans abortions after 15 weeks, with specific exceptions. Planned Parenthood Arizona also brought all abortions at their locations to a halt.
Currently living in San Diego, Cervantes said women traveling from states where abortion is banned can stay at her home if they are seeking an abortion in California.
"They're not alone, we're all in this fight. We're all together. Especially right now, we need to stick together and we need to fight for our rights," she told ABC7.
When the news about the Supreme Court's decision broke out, Cervantes felt her heart "aching" for her friends back home. She felt some assurance when Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed California as a safe haven for women seeking reproductive health care.
"I was freaking out and I was like, ok well I'm in California, and then Gavin Newsom was like, 'This is a safe haven state. You guys are ok. We're not going to do anything here. You guys are safe,' My heart was just aching for my friends in Arizona," Cervantes told ABC 10News San Diego.
"I get it. Pro-life [and] pro-choice, there are all these different options, but in the end, I fiercely believe that everyone should have the choice to their own body," she said about the heated debate over abortions that recently took center stage in the country, as per the outlet.
Cervantes took to social media Sunday to invite people from Arizona and Nevada to stay with her if they are getting an abortion in California, noting that she lives close to a Planned Parenthood health center.
"If I can provide someone with help them get access with what they need a life if they need an abortion or emergency care, I'm more than happy to help out," Cervantes told the outlet.
Undeterred by the backlash she has received, she said her decision was her way of giving back after she, a sexual assault survivor, received support when she needed it most.