By ANDREW HENSEL for the Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (IRN) — A new report shows that 1 in 5 students that attend a college in a state that restricts access to abortions would transfer to schools in pro-choice states.
The survey from Intelligent.com comes after the U.S. Supreme court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade and return the decision on abortion care to the states. Around 1,000 current U.S. college students were surveyed.
Twenty percent of students at colleges in states where abortion is or may soon become illegal plan to transfer to states where abortion is legal; 25% are considering transferring.
Illinois undergraduate enrollment dropped 11.2% from spring 2019 to spring 2022. However, the report signals Illinois could see a boost in enrollment due to the state’s laws regarding reproductive healthcare.
The students were asked if they considered transferring due to the new abortion laws. Men were slightly more likely than women, by a rate of 70% to 61%. However, 48% of women say they want to transfer because they do not want to attend college in a state that “doesn’t value bodily autonomy.”
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he welcomes women coming to Illinois from other states seeking abortion care and pledged that any woman that comes here would be protected.
“When women come here to this state, you are welcome, supported, and safe,” Pritzker said. “You won’t need to suffer additional trauma, you will be treated with dignity, empathy, and compassion.”
Illinois has been a Democratic-leaning state in terms of past elections.
Twenty-seven percent of students surveyed in the Intelligent.com report identified as Democrats are transferring to a pro-choice state, while 28% are considering it. By comparison, only 19% of Republican students indicate they are transferring, and 22% say they are considering it.
Illinois is one of 18 states that currently are allowing abortions.
