Anti-abortion activists in Texas are ramping up efforts to attack reproductive rights, and at the centre of this movement is Jonathan Mitchell, the architect of the state’s controversial SB 8 law. This dystopian legislation doesn’t just ban abortions; it deputises everyday citizens to sue anyone who dares to help. Now, Mitchell’s taking it even further, arming abusive exes, or indeed any man with an agenda, with legal tools to terrorise women over abortions, even ones performed legally, out of state.

Mitchell and organisations like Texas Right to Life are using these legal tactics to intimidate and control anyone with a uterus. The anti-abortion group previously tried to launch a hotline for people to report anyone suspected of aiding an abortion—a scheme that backfired when the line was overwhelmed by trolls and memes. Yet their underlying goal remains: to create a climate of fear that isolates and silences abortion seekers.

@seandablack

#stitch with @victoriahammett I’ll see if I can add some multithreading to speed up this process

♬ original sound - Sean Black

As reported by The Washington Post, SB 8 enables citizens to file lawsuits seeking damages of at least $10,000 against anyone involved in facilitating an abortion. Under the guise of this law, Mitchell has supported a wave of lawsuits where men are attempting to claim “wrongful death” over alleged abortions performed without their “consent.” These cases are legally dubious and deeply chilling for their implications on privacy and bodily autonomy.

Another legal loss for those challenging SB8—the pro-life law that is saving babies every day. https://t.co/dcpiZKuXV2

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) April 26, 2022

Just to give you a little understanding of how psychotic this man is, Mitchell once represented Marcus Silva, a Texas man who sued three women for allegedly helping his ex-wife obtain abortion pills in 2022. Silva sought $1 million in damages, claiming the abortion constituted murder. The lawsuit was eventually dropped due to a lack of evidence, but the message was clear: the legal system is being weaponised to intimidate and control women. One of Silva’s targets explained: “The claims were only dropped because they had nothing. We did nothing wrong, and we would do it all again.”

As reported by Jezebel, Farah Diaz-Tello, senior legal counsel at If/When/How described the situation as part of a broader campaign of abuse. “Abusers have turned to our legal systems to deny their victims bodily autonomy and further harass them,” she said. “We aren’t surprised that anti-abortion advocates are capitalising on abusers’ misuse of the legal system to further their campaign of fear and terror against abortion seekers.”

Nonetheless, a survey by the National Domestic Violence Hotline found that 5 per cent of respondents had been threatened with police action or lawsuits for considering abortion. In just one year after Dobbs, the hotline saw a 99 per cent increase in calls related to reproductive coercion.

For context, Dobbs v. Jackson ended federal abortion rights in 2022, overturning Roe v. Wade.

“Pregnancy can be one of the most dangerous times in an abusive relationship,” Diaz-Tello emphasised. “It’s disgusting that anti-abortion advocates would collude with abusers to punish their victims for trying to keep themselves safe.”

According to the UN, even in cases where abortion is permitted under limited circumstances, the absence of clear, accessible legal procedures creates significant barriers for women seeking to exercise their rights. These barriers disproportionately impact marginalised groups, perpetuating inequality and placing women’s health, autonomy, and dignity at risk. The UN has urged governments to ensure that legal frameworks protect reproductive rights, condemning measures like Texas’ SB 8 for undermining these principles by deputising private citizens to enforce punitive abortion restrictions.

The legal harassment unfolding in Texas isn’t just a war on abortion—it’s an all-out assault on women’s rights and basic safety, orchestrated by Mitchell and his grotesque SB 8 blueprint.

This isn’t about “protecting life” or morality; it’s about controlling women and giving abusers a loaded gun in the form of the legal system. Diaz-Tello nailed it: “Abusers have been emboldened by actual laws and language from anti-abortion advocates and lawmakers to weaponise laws against their ex-partners.”

And let’s not mince words here—Mitchell isn’t just the face of this vile crusade; he’s its self-satisfied mascot. With his smug grin and 1980s-movie-villain energy, this man has made it his life’s mission to strip women of their autonomy and leave them at the mercy of vengeful partners. This isn’t just outdated thinking; it’s dangerous, hateful, and downright pathetic.