Slowly, the Janes began to face exposure. Oftentimes, police officers were tipped off by people that Jane clients had confided in, which resulted in raids that the Janes were able to narrowly avoid due only to quick thinking.
The Jane Collective: Women's Rights in Secrecy
The Arrest
Police surveyed Jane members and their homes. The Janes operated constantly on edge, occasionally suspecting police were tipped off and were on their way or that the authorities tapped into phone lines.
"Pam [a Jane member], while attending anti war demonstrations, had had police officers call out to her, “Hi, Jane."
Laura Kaplan, 1995, The Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service
The Janes (2022), HBO
In May 1972, two women came into the police station, informing them of an imminent abortion. They led them to the apartment building where Janes were performing abortions and they questioned an exiting woman and mandated that she lead them to the apartment, in which the waiting room was filled with women.
"They came in and looked around and said, “Where’s the doctor?” looking for the guy. But there wasn’t any guy, you know, there was just us."
Martha Scott, 2018, Radio Diaries NPR Interview
Once the Janes refused to identify themselves, the police realized who they were and arrested them. The authorities located the second apartment abortions were being performed that day, arresting seven members of the collective on eleven counts of abortion and conspiracy to commit abortion, although they were able to get out on bail shortly.
The Janes (2022), HBO