In the journey from the car to the front door, abortion clinic patients are bombarded by screaming protestors who chase them, surround them, and plead with them to protect the life of their unborn child. If left alone, patients can be prevented, psychologically or physically, from reaching the clinic and exercising their right to choose. The only protective force standing between them and the graphic images, intimidation, and blaring bullhorns are clinic escorts: volunteers who use their own bodies to shield patients from the verbal, emotional, and sometimes physical abuse of protestors. With their colorful vests and rainbow umbrellas, these escorts have come together to ensure the safety of patients seeking basic healthcare. Being a clinic escort requires intense focus and restraint. They must remain both stoic and alert, absorbing the commotion while refraining from interacting with the protestors around them. Often standing for hours in front of loud sidewalk preachers through torrential rainstorms, snowstorms and suffocating heat. HUMAN SHIELD weaves together the story of three leaders who manage escort teams at clinics in North Carolina, Ohio, and the Washington D.C. area. Each of these women remind their fellow clinic escorts that their mission is simple: get the patient to the clinic safely without engagement or confrontation. But HUMAN SHIELD will show that achieving that goal is rarely straightforward.
