Prior to the implementation of regulations in 2012, the Virginia abortion industry had gone unregulated for too long. Department of Health inspections revealed widespread health and safety violations, including blood spattered exam tables and equipment, unsterilized equipment, poorly and/or untrained staff, violations of state parental consent laws, not reporting cases of child sexual abuse, and over 300 other violations. These violations reveal a critical need for stringent regulations as well as standards of performance in order to ensure the safety and welfare of women who seek out abortions.