Boyfriend Pressuring Girlfriend Into Abortion: What Would You Do?
Feb. 19, 2011 — -- When Jared Smith from Chippewa Falls, Wisc., heard about the "How Would You Do It?" contest, he knew just the idea he wanted to submit. He'd seen two students at his high school wrestle with an ethical dilemma of their own: an unplanned teen-age pregnancy.
Jared's winning entry asked what people would do if they saw a teenage boy trying to pressure his girlfriend into ending her pregnancy.
Watch the scenario unfold on a special "What Would You Do?" Friday at 9 p.m. ET. CLICK HERE to go behind the scenes with contest winner Jared Smith!
We decided to find out -- so we took our hidden cameras to Park Wayne Diner in Wayne, N.J. In our scenario, our actress Elena pretends to be a 16-year-old who just found out she is pregnant. She brings her boyfriend Nick, also hired by us, and breaks the news that they will soon be teen parents. Nick has other ideas.
"I can't even believe you just told me you were pregnant. You are not keeping this baby! You're still a baby, I'm still a baby. You are getting an abortion, simple, bottom line."
Customers at surrounding tables seem stunned at Nick's reaction.
Elena pleads, "I thought a lot about it and I'm going to keep the baby."
Nick fights back, saying, "You're not keeping this baby. I'm sorry."
'Talking About Heavy Stuff'
The conversation is too much for school nurse Ellen Stinziano, who decides it's time to step in and help cool down our teen couple.
"You guys are talking about heavy stuff. What you have to do is decide what you're going to do," she says. "...I can't tell you what to do with your life."
Ellen later tells John Quinones that as a high school nurse she deals with this type of conversation too often.
And in fact, teen pregnancy is on the rise for the first time in over a decade, according to the Centers for Disease Control -- which estimates almost two-thirds of teen pregnancies are unintended.
When we test our scenario again, the awkward glances and uncomfortable stares continue with every demand Nick makes to Elena.
"Either you end this pregnancy or I'm ending this relationship," says Nick.
But this time, when our second hero, Kathleen Diez steps up, she offers different advice: lose the boyfriend.
"I would get rid of him so fast and you do whatever you feel is right," she says.
Kathleen later tells Quinones, as the mother of a 22-year-old, her heart went out to our actress and she couldn't leave without showing Elena her support.
Throughout the day, our actors got words of wisdom and advice from adults, but one of our most interesting responses came from a group of teenage girls watching Nick and Elena's dramatic scene unfold. What will they do when faced with this controversial scenario?
Watch the scenario unfold on "What Would You Do?" Friday at 9 p.m. ET.
