The Washington Area Clinic Defense Task Force is an all-volunteer, non-violent group founded in the 1980s to promote peaceful and safe access to women's health clinics in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. We provide escorts to ensure a peaceful and reassuring presence for patients, their companions, and staff, at several local clinics. Anti-choice protesters try to intimidate or harass anyone who provides or uses services at reproductive health clinics. WACDTF helps counter these protesters' harassment, picketing, and vandalism at clinics so clinics remain open and accessible for all women. We escort at the invitation of clinic owners and in cooperation with local law enforcement. Escorts are generally needed each Saturday, rain or shine, between 7 - 11 a.m., depending on the clinic. And of course, we mobilize on the days surrounding the January anniversary of Roe v. Wade, when thousands of anti-Choice protesters are in town each year. We hold monthly trainings for people to learn how to become clinic escorts. It is easy, and takes only 1½ hours to learn the techniques we use to defuse potential problems with clinic protesters. Escorting is an important way to take a peaceful, proactive stance against the religious right who wants to control women's options. Help us prevent that from happening on the front lines of this insidious movement against women's rights.
