Abortion Rights

Anti-choice extremism: make your voice heard!

On Monday 30^thJanuary, the leader of hardline anti-abortion group Abort67 made his latest court appearance in connection with protests outside the BPAS Wistons clinic in Brighton.

Abort67 supporters have been protesting regularly outside the clinic, displaying graphic pictures of aborted foetuses and causing distress to clients and staff. Protesters have allegedly surrounded and intimidated women and even asked for their phone numbers so that they could 'keep track' of them.

A woman who ran the gauntlet of protesters recently said: “It makes you feel more scared than you were before. It’s wrong to make you feel uncomfortable – they continued to talk as we tried to walk away and wouldn’t accept our views. It’s very intimidating.”

The mother of one young client commented: “Standing outside, abusive remarks, calling my daughter a murderer, shoving pics and forms in our faces – very upsetting.”

Previous protests at the same location, which also saw police involvement, have seen activists reportedly filming clinic staff and patients entering the premises.

Abort67 [warning graphic content] is a particularly unpleasant group. It is allied to the militant 'Center for Bioethical Reform', an anti-abortion organisation which tours university campuses in the USA and Canada, touting its 'Genocide Awareness Project' which compares abortion to the Nazi Holocaust in graphic terms.

Diane Abbott quits cross-party aborton group in protest over government plans

Shadow Public Health Minister brands government's plans to plough ahead with controversial abortion changes as 'unwanted, undemocratic and unsubstantiated with evidence.'

Updated 1.45pm 26.01.12

Diane Abbott has announced that she will withdraw from the Department of Health's cross-party group on abortion counselling, accusing the government of using both the group and the upcoming consultation on the issue as a 'front' to push through anti-choice changes to the counselling system.

Details of the abortion counselling overhaul, published by the Telegraph at the weekend, have shocked pro-choice campaigners with the re-emergence of proposals to strip abortion providers of their role in counselling patients and to allow anti-choice organisations to offer pre-abortion advice in their place, despite MPs having voted decisively to reject the plans in September.

The campaign against the counselling amendments to the Health and Social Care Bill, tabled by Nadine Dorries, saw medical bodies, health and equalities organisations, trade unions and women's groups united in their opposition to the proposals. Prior to the Commons debate on the issue the government was forced to withdraw its support for the amendments and advise its MPs to vote against the measures.

In her letter to Anne Milton, Public Health Minister responsible for abortion, Abbott said:

"I entered into the meetings in good faith. I was genuinely interested in improving the quality of counselling available to women. But I now believe the 'consultation' will be a front for driving through the anti-choice lobbyists' preferred option without legislation or a debate on the Floor of the House."

Anti-abstinence only protesters brave cold to fight Dorries' bill

24-01-12

On a cold and windy London Friday morning, hundreds of protesters gathered outside parliament. They were there to voice their opposition to Nadine Dorries MP's sex education bill, which would have mandated that teenage girls (and not boys – only girls) be taught about sexual abstinence.

Dorries' bill was widely denounced by feminist groups, pro-choice groups, and sex educators, who see in it worrying parallels to the rise of abstinence-only sex education in the United States.

Studies on the efficacy of abstinence-only education have shown it to be at best useless and at worst harmful, and Dorries' critics are concerned by her continuing efforts to ape the tactics of US anti-comprehensive sex education groups.

The protest was energetic and colourful, despite the less than balmy temperature. Speakers included Kate Smurthwaite, comedian and vice-chair of Abortion Rights, Lisa Hallgarten from Education for Choice, and Richy Thompson, campaigns officer for schools and education at the British Humanist Association.

Glasgow nurses take NHS trust to court over abortion supervision

24.01.12

Two nurses are taking the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board to court over what they claim is a conscientious objection case involving practising abortions.

Although their right to conscientiously object is observed by the NHS, the midwifery nurses, Mary Doogan and Concepta Wood, say that delegating work to nurses under their supervision who were tasked with carrying out abortions is a violation of their human rights.

Under the terms of the 1967 Abortion Act, medical staff who object to abortion are not required to take part in terminations. The nurses argue that this conscientious objection clause should include the right to refuse to direct and supervise staff carrying out abortions, the BBC reported.

Having to delegate tasks to other medical staff involved in terminations is a violation of their rights under Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights, they argued.

Abortion counselling: ministers seek to push through changes

23.01.12

Plans for changes to the abortion counselling system were revealed on Saturday which show that the Department of Health is actively considering stripping abortion providers of the right to counsel their patients on their pregnancy options, potentially handing the role to anti-choice organisations instead.

The disclosure comes despite MPs having comprehensively rejected similar proposals in September. Although the government had initially signalled its support for counselling changes proposed by conservative backbencher Nadine Dorries, a wave of protest by pro-choice groups – particularly Abortion Rights supporters – forced the government to withdraw its backing for the plans and advise coalition MPs to vote against the move.

Anti-choice MPs to "force a new debate" on abortion time limit

17.01.11

A cross-party group of anti-choice MPs is planning to re-open the issue of the abortion time limit in parliament.

The Sunday Times (paywall) reported that the Parliamentary Pro-Life Group is "determined to keep the issue on the political agenda amid concern about the number of terminations for trivial reasons, and medical advances that have greatly increased the chances of survival of babies born prematurely".

The move comes in response to a statement from Sir George Young MP, leader of the Commons, that the government had no plans to reform the current law.

Major review confirms abortion does not raise risk of mental illness

The largest and most comprehensive review of evidence around mental health outcomes and abortion has found that having an abortion does not increase the risk of mental health problems (09.12.11).

The findings have led to calls for anti-choice groups to stop misleading women about the potential dangers of the procedure.

The review, commissioned by the Academy of Medical Colleges and carried out by the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH) at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, concluded that it makes no difference to a woman's mental health whether she chooses to have an abortion or to continue with the pregnancy.

Researchers looked at 180 potentially relevant studies and included 44 papers published between 1990 and 2011, using only the best quality evidence. The studies included information from hundreds of thousands of women at least 90 days after an abortion.

Professor Tim Kendall, Director of the NCCMH, told the BBC, "We believe this is the most comprehensive and detailed review of the mental health outcomes of abortion to date worldwide".

Christmas pill scheme gets mixed reception

06.12.11. The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) has announced plans to make the morning-after-pill readily available for women over the Christmas period, leading to an outcry from anti-abortion campaigners who have dubbed the scheme ‘vulgar’ and ‘as easy as dialling for a pizza’.

Abortion provider BPAS says that over the festive season women often struggle to obtain emergency contraception. During the Christmas period women may be unable to make appointments with their doctors and others cannot pay the high price charged at pharmacies (as much as £25).

In response, BPAS has launched their campaign to attempt to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies at this time of year.

Intimidation outside Brighton abortion clinic

A church group has been criticised for showing graphic images outside a BPAS abortion clinic in Brighton.

The Jubilee Community Church of Worthing is linked to the Abort 67 protest group, who staged a protest recently outside the Wistons Clinic in Brighton, handing out leaflets comparing abortion to the Holocaust, and telling people entering the clinic that they are murderers, and more likely to become drug addicts.

BPAS press officer Clare Murphy told local paper the Worthing Herald: “I cannot reiterate enough our support for freedom of speech, and people’s right to campaign to overturn the abortion law.

“But we do believe there must be a more moral way to do this than by causing distress to individual women at a very difficult time in their lives – particularly by people who are members of an active local church that appears to pride itself on compassion and care for the community.”

The anti-abortion group Abort 67 has been in trouble with the law over graphic protests outside the Wistons clinic in the past. In September 2010, the Telegraph reported, two Abort 67 protesters were arrested for public order offences after they were asked by police to remove a placard with gruesome images on it, which they did – only to replace it with an even more lurid and offensive poster.

The protest is yet another instance of US-style anti-abortion tactics being adopted by UK groups. Indeed Abort 67 is linked to hardline anti-choice group the Canadian Center for Bioethical Reform which has caused outrage in the US and Canada with its graphic poster displays on university campuses which also compare abortion to the Holocaust.

If you come across examples of anti-abortion groups acting in this way, please email us.

RCOG talks sense on abortion counselling in new guidelines

An influential doctors' organisation has recommended that counselling should not be compulsory for people seeking abortions.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has unveiled a revised edition of its guidance for healthcare professionals providing abortion treatment. In a Question and Answer document accompanying the publication the RCOG states:

"Evidence shows that for women requesting an abortion for an unwanted pregnancy, the majority would have made up their minds to undergo the procedure and do not require further counselling.

"Once a woman has decided to proceed with an abortion for an unwanted pregnancy, it should occur without unnecessary delay. An extra counselling session should not be mandatory after she has had her initial assessment and given her consent."

Anti-choice activists jump on 'new' abortion figures

Anti-abortion activists are claiming that the annual costs of abortion are £30 million higher than previously thought.

Supposed ‘new figures’ have come to light, claimed the Daily Telegraph, which show that more public money to fund abortions is channelled to private clinics rather than NHS hospitals.

The Telegraph added: “Campaigners say the new calculations provide more reason to stop the organisations that offer counselling to pregnant women also performing terminations, which are now estimated to cost £680 each, on the grounds that it represents a conflict of interest.”

(The newspaper did not specify exactly which “campaigners” it meant, but it is safe to assume they are anti-choice, as was every person quoted in the article.)

The supposed discrepancy arose because different organisations have interpreted instructions on how to measure costs in different ways.

According to the revised figures, abortion care cost £118 million in 2010, with £75 million of that figure going to private providers, and £44 million to NHS centres. The number of abortions carried out in 2010 also rose under the revised numbers, from 136,000 to 173,000. It is unclear how the ‘extra’ 37,000 abortions were missed from the original figures.

Leading abortion provider bpas cast doubt on the figures quoted in the Telegraph story and commented,

"bpas began providing abortion care at a time when the NHS was either unable or unwilling to provide it. Many local abortion services today are provided by bpas, because there is wide acceptance that we provide compassionate care combined with high clinical standards. This is often at a lower cost than the NHS because we are a charity dedicated to this particular area of women's healthcare.

Anti-abortion politicians like to talk about the 'multi-million pound abortion industry' - the reality is we are a not-for-profit organisation committed to ensuring a woman can access high quality support and services as she makes the decision that is right for her."

Part of a wider attack

This latest ‘story’ is another example of the anti-choice movement’s attack on private pregnancy providers. It follows on from Nadine Dorries’ attempt to introduce an amendment to the Health and Social Care Bill earlier this year, which would have given anti-abortion groups the opportunity to insert themselves into the abortion counselling process.

The Department of Health revealed recently that, as it prepared for the upcoming abortion counselling consultations, it is not only conducting fact-finding missions to abortion providers such as BPAS and Marie Stopes, it is also visiting pregnancy counselling centres run by anti-choice organisations like ‘Life’ and Care Confidential.

Anti-choice ‘Personhood’ amendment defeated in Mississippi

A radical proposal to define life from the moment of fertilisation has been defeated by voters in Mississippi following a hard fought campaign. The foetal personhood amendment, which would have banned all abortion and many forms of birth control, would also have jeopardised fertility treatment and potentially criminalised miscarriage.

The measure, known as Initiative 26, proved too extreme even for highly conservative and anti-choice Mississippi, with 57% of voters opposing the move and 43% voting in favour.

Pro-choice campaigners were able to mobilise opposition to the amendment by highlighting the problems it would cause if put into practice. There would have been no exceptions for cases of rape or incest nor in cases of non-viable pregnancy or where the woman’s life was in danger.

Key UN report backs abortion rights

The United Nations General Assembly has heard a report presented by Anand Grover, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health, which exposes the adverse effects of criminalisation and legal restrictions on reproductive health matters. Anand’s report is an important milestone for those working to promote sexual and reproductive health and human rights worldwide. The report states:

“Realization of the right to health requires the removal of barriers that interfere with individual decision-making on health-related issues and with access to health services, education and information, in particular on health conditions that only affect women and girls.”

The report calls for decriminalisation of and the removal of legal barriers in four specific areas: abortion, conduct during pregnancy, contraception and family planning and provision of sexual and reproductive health education and information.

Religious group pushing anti-abortion views near primary school

A religious order based in Surbiton, Surrey, has put up an anti-abortion poster outside a local primary school.

The “Community of Divine Innocence”, nicknamed Our Lady of Surbiton, has also been criticised by local residents and parents over its anti-abortion bumper stickers, a local paper reported.

Founded by Patricia de Menezes in 1984 after she claimed to have received a vision of the Virgin Mary, the religious group – which is not recognised by the Catholic Church – meets every day near Christ Church primary school.

The poster says “We pray for souls of aborted children”, according to a local resident who did not want to give his name in case the order “started praying” for him.

“San Jose Articles” open new front in anti-choice war

The anti-choice movement’s push to redefine human life as beginning at conception has taken a new direction with the announcement of the San Jose Articles. Anti-choice activists plan to use the articles to try and insert this definition into international treaties.

The Articles state: “[as] a matter of scientific fact a new human life begins at conception.” Embryos and foetuses are therefore covered by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, according to the Articles – a position which would make abortion illegal under international law. However, no “scientific fact” is offered up as proof of the raw assertion that a new human life begins at birth.

The document also states: “There is no international legal obligation to provide access to abortion based on any ground, including but not limited to health, privacy or sexual autonomy, or non-discrimination.”

'Personhood' laws threaten US abortion rights

The Personhood Movement, which seeks to declare life as beginning at the point of the egg’s fertilisation, is a growing force in US anti-choice politics.

Most recently embodied by Mississippi's Amendment 26, the initiative is expected to vociferously spread to Ohio, Florida, Montana, Oregon and Colorado (where similar legislation has failed twice before).

The amendment will be put directly to Mississippi voters on November 8th. Anti-abortion organisations feel confident that the initiative will succeed in a state that has some of the toughest abortion regulations in the country; including parental or judicial consent for any minor to get an abortion and mandatory in-person counselling and a 24-hour wait before any woman can terminate a pregnancy. Also, there is only a single clinic where the procedures are performed in the state, which is roughly the size of England.

The Mississippi State Medical Association says that it is not supporting the initiative, but is not actively opposing it either. In a letter to members, the group’s president stated “I agree with the sentiments of this movement; but I can’t agree with throwing a physician into a system where the decision will not be malpractice, but wrongful death or murder.”

40 Days of Treats

In response to the anti-abortion “40 Days for Life” campaign, which organises protests outside abortion clinics, an anonymous Londoner has started a counter-campaign called 40 Days of Treats.

The idea behind 40 Days of Treats is to show support for the staff of Bpas, whose offices in London and Birmingham are currently being targeted by the 40 Days for Life protesters.

As the 40 Days of Treats website explains: “A counter protest for 40 days doesn’t seem right - why draw attention to them? Instead, let's do something for the people who are probably most affected and could use the boost.

"Let’s give the nice people at BPAS 40 days of treats.

"I know, I know, economic climate, yadda yadda yadda but if you are Pro Choice, why not use some of your shiny pounds so that we can show our appreciation to these organizations."

We at Abortion Rights think 40 Days of Treats is a fantastic idea, and a great way of showing that the majority of the UK is pro-choice, and that we value the work of Bpas and other abortion providers. If you agree, please feel free to join in - by supporting Bpas staff in London and Birmingham, by donating to pro-choice charities, or simply by spreading the word about 40 Days of Treats.

Follow the story on Twitter at @40daysoftreats

Comment: thoughts on the 'Dorries debate'

Our guest blogger, Maggie Henebury, offers an overview of the debate on the recent abortion counselling debate and the current state of UK abortion law.

On 7th September, following a 90 minute debate in the House of Commons, the amendments to the Health & Social Care Bill proposed by Nadine Dorries were rejected by an overwhelming majority of 250 MPs. Reassuring, certainly, but by no means a great victory in the fight for female autonomy; as far as the pro-choice majority of the UK is concerned, many find it a little embarrassing that Dorries’ proposals made it as far as Parliamentary discussion in the first place.

Just in case you’re yet to be acquainted with Nadine Dorries, perhaps I might offer you an introduction: she is a former nurse, and currently a Conservative backbencher who calls herself pro-choice while trying her very best to set back abortion policy in the UK, amongst other decidedly pro-choice and “pro-women” activities such as calling pregnant women considering abortion “vulnerable,” referring to her time as a nurse assisting a late-stage abortion procedure as akin to taking part in 'murder', and trying to reduce the abortion time limit from 24 weeks to 20 back in 2008.

Resounding defeat for Dorries abortion amendments

07.09.11 - MPs have today delivered a comprehensive rejection of Nadine Dorries attempts to change the abortion counselling system, voting 368 to 118 against the proposals.

Her amendment to the Health and Social Care bill would have stripped abortion providers of their role in offering impartial advice and counselling to women considering abortion, opening the door for organisations opposed to abortion in principle to be contracted to counsel women on their pregnancy options by the NHS.

Frank Field MP, the original co-sponsor of the amendments, withdrew his support for Nadine Dorries during the debate and urged her to work with Anne Milton and the Department of Health on reviewing current counselling requirements.

Although delighted at the outcome, pro-choice campaigners are voicing concern at Anne Milton’s comments during the debate that the government supports the ‘spirit of the amendments’.

Pro-choice activists speak out ahead of abortion debate in Parliament

06.09.11 - Abortion Rights today hosted a press conference in Westminster on the abortion counselling amendments to the Health and Social Care Bill, ahead of tomorrow's key Parliamentary debate on the issue.

We were delighted that so many pro-choice MPs and advocates were able to attend and share their views.

Opening the meeting, Abortion Rights co-chair Lorene Fabian said:

"We are delighted that the government has listened to the objections raised by Abortion Rights supporters, thousands of whom have written to their MPs in recent weeks.

There is across the board opposition to these counselling plans, from women's groups, medical and equalities organisations, trade unions and MPs of all parties.

We welcome the news that the government is now advising MPs to vote against the amendments, but we now call on them to drop these misguided plans to change the abortion counselling system once and for all."