Influx of travelers to Santa Barbara County predicted following overturning of Roe v. Wade
SANTA BARBARA, Calif.- Local experts are weighing in on how they expect the overturning of Roe v. Wade to impact Central Coast residents.
The recent ruling means that California could see more visitors from out of state.
UCSB professor Laury Oaks predicts an influx of travelers to Santa Barbara County, who are seeking safe reproductive care, but she hopes local residents won’t be forgotten.
She explained, “Now, of course, for the local context in Santa Barbara County, we know that South County and North County are very different places, Socio-demographically and economically. So we always have to be concerned. And I think that people in our local area know this and are concerned about how this decision and the different differential access that people have is going to change.”
Professor Oaks emphasized the importance of balancing the needs of local residents who are struggling financially with the needs of those who are economically thriving.
She also addressed the growing concern of anti-abortion protestors standing outside abortion clinics, stating, “We can see that the outcome of those kinds of blockades or protests outside of abortion clinics doesn't mean that people don't have access to abortion care, but it means they have that extra layer of trauma. And then also there have to be escorts there who are trying to help them cope with that environment and to get them into the abortion clinic where they are safe.”
The outrage that was expressed immediately after the overturning of the court ruling is now turning into frustration for many students at UCSB like Erika Ngo.
She feels, "I want to say it's like a form of a hate crime...I wouldn't want someone in my face and being like, in my business, you know. I'm free to my privacy and like, you are open to speech."
Fellow UCSB student and friend to Erika, Olivia Yount said, “I just heard a story about a little girl got raped and pregnant and she had to go to Indiana, I think, to go get an abortion. So I think people are definitely going to be coming here.”
