Abortion is a topic that provokes strong feelings for many people, as seen in Dennis Tompkins’ letter (“Abortion is not an ‘act of love,'” Jan. 30). While we all have our own experiences with and opinions about abortion, it’s important to understand the realities for people who have an abortion.

In his letter, Mr. Tompkins implies that people who have an abortion won’t use birth control and are mostly teenage women. In fact, 85% of people who have an abortion are in their 20s and 30s, and nearly 60% are already parents.

And while no contraceptive method is 100% effective, about half of the people seeking an abortion were using birth control the month they became pregnant.

There’s a lot of misinformation about abortion and people who have abortions and that makes it harder to talk about it. But many people are sharing their stories in magazines, on the radio, online, and even in person, with strangers. I hope we will all take a little more time to listen to people instead of judging them.

Emma Walsh

Readfield