Alabama is Awful... But There is an Issue Closer to Home

Last week we saw Alabama place a near-total ban on pregnancy termination. A woman is only allowed to terminate a pregnancy up until 6 weeks after conception. This, for many, is seen as a vile restriction to a woman’s human rights. If a woman for example falls pregnant after a non-consensual encounter, and may not even know she is pregnant, she is not entitled to an abortion once the 6 week marker has passed. In my opinion, this is for a woman to choose, and it certainly isn’t an easy choice. It is also worth noting this was passed by 25 males.

Even with how shocking and suppressive these laws are, they are not as restrictive as the abortion laws in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland has an absolute ban on abortions, the only place in Western Europe with such extreme laws. It is also the only place in the UK that does not offer terminations, for example if the mother is a serious risk of complications or death. women must travel to mainland UK for a termination, buy illegal abortion pills online or continue with an unwanted, or life threatening pregnancy. Northern Ireland's laws are so oppressive that a woman can face jail time if she travels to the UK or abroad to receive treatment. These laws are outdated, and according to the Victorian 1861 offences Against the Person Act, one can be imprisoned for life. An unnamed mother is currently fighting in the courts after she bought abortion pills online for her 15-year-old daughter.

Below is a quote from a woman who had to travel to London along to receive treatment that any other UK resident is entitled to.

"I have only one regret. And that's that I had to travel far away, and go through it all alone, the hardest way.

But I am not alone in my choice and its a choice I don’t take lightly."

This is not just a lone individual. Around 28 women a week travelled to England for a termination, while hundreds of others were forced to buy illegal pills over the internet. Polls suggest more than two-thirds of voters would actually support a law change and make terminations legal. The United Nations have said the restrictive abortion laws are in breach of the UK’s international human rights legislation's.

Advocacy and Public Affairs Advisor at Marie Stopes UK, Franki Appleton, said: ‘The UK government is actively failing its human rights obligations in Northern Ireland with a Victorian law that criminalises both women and clinicians.'

This is a difficult topic and I respect everyone's decision both sides of the argument. BUT… to see someone who has been through so much, such as a non-consensual encounter, then to be unable to get closure with a daily reminder of the events that led to this pregnancy. This is just unacceptable.

Whether you fall either side of the abortion debate, I hope we can all agree that rape is always wrong. This doesn’t seem to be reflected in the law, with Alabama and Northern Ireland sentencing a harsher penalty for those receiving an abortion than for those who have been found guilty of rape.

Relevant Charities;

www.womenonweb.org - Provide abortion pills

www.asn.org.uk - Abortion support network (can donate to them, they provide financial support for people getting abortions)

www.nowfori.uk - email template to send your mp to encourage Westminster to legislate for NI abortion services.

Alliance for choice - Can donate to them, they also have nice merchandise.

BPAS (British Pregnancy Advisory Service) - Provide abortion services, including NI people, can donate to them too.