ABORTION RIGHTS

GIVE A VOICE TO PRO CHOICE

BY JODIE THOMAS

Pro choice…

Is having the rights to our body something we take for granted?

In England, Scotland and Wales, women are able to legally have an abortion of an unwanted pregnancy at up to 23 weeks plus 6 days of pregnancy. But sadly, in contrast Women in Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland, the abortion rights are severely restricted. Many have had to take illegal abortion pills or travel oversees to have the procedure carried out. Both options are scary, unsupported and add damage to the women’s mental health. (Abortion Rights Campaign. 2020)

Only recently, on January the 1^st 2019, the Republic of Ireland passed an act that legalises abortion up to 12 weeks of pregnancy but with a mandatory 3 day wait period in between the doctor’s appointment and the day that the abortion takes place. (Connolly, M., 2019)

Similar restricted terms are present in Northern Ireland, but as of October 2019 the act of abortion is no longer considered a criminal offence. (Connolly, M., 2019) Before then, abortion was only allowed if a women’s life was at risk or there was danger of serious permanent damage to her mental and physical health. This is shocking, that women still had no control over their own bodies even in our modern and liberal 21^st century world.

How…

There are two options when it comes to aborting a pregnancy

A medical abortion ( the abortion pill)
Surgical abortion

The procedure does come with risks, but the earlier that they are carried out, the safer the abortion.

https://www.abortionrightscampaign.ie/

Who…

The abortion rights campaign is a volunteer group whose goal is to achieve safe, free and legal abortion care. They work at a grass root level to provide education and support around abortion. This includes tackling the stigma, educating the public and making pro-choice visible in the media.

The abortion rights campaign holds many rallies and marches and the annual pro-choice march has been happening in Dublin since 2012.

Pro-choice vs Pro-life is a heavy debate and one that will be continued to be debated far into the future. But for now, the fight for a women to have freedom and choice over her own body is not over yet. There are still flaws in the act that has been passed and they will not stop fighting until the women are safe and fully represented. The future is in the hands of the elected representatives to fix the problems and the only solution is to make them hear.

Get involved…

Contact – info@abortionrights.ie

Follow – https://www.instagram.com/abortion_rightsuk/

Follow – https://www.instagram.com/shoutyourabortion/

References…

Connolly, M., 2019. What Northern Ireland’s Abortion Law Changes Mean. [online] BBC News. Available at: <https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-50125124> [Accessed 15 April 2020].

Abortion Rights Campaign. 2020. Abortion Law In Ireland. [online] Available at: <https://www.abortionrightscampaign.ie/abortion-law-in-ireland/> [Accessed 15 April 2020].