Cutting through the noise: the rational arguments both for and against abortion
- Beth Ennis
- Mar 10, 2019
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 9, 2019
Pro-life or pro-choice? It can feel like a loaded question, as abortion is perhaps one of the most hotly debated topics there is. It's something that affects women around the world – some are unable to access abortion and some feel pressured into having one. Taboo has spoken to representatives from the Abortion Support Network and Both Lives Matter in a bid to explore both sides of this complex and emotive issue.
The World Health Organisation estimates that over 55 million abortions take place every year. 45% of these are thought to be done using unsafe methods. Despite how common abortion is, it's still a divisive issue in the UK and Ireland.
Current UK law allows abortions to take place up until a pregnancy reaches 24 weeks – or after in special circumstances (such as the mother’s life being at risk). Across the water in Ireland, the situation is very different.
Since the referendum on whether to repeal the eighth amendment, women in the Republic of Ireland are entitled to an abortion up until they are 12 weeks pregnant. In Northern Ireland, however, abortion remains illegal unless there is a serious risk to the mental or physical health of the mother. So, is this right or wrong?
Mara Clarke is the founder of the Abortion Support Network (ASN), a charity that helps women travel to the UK to access safe and legal abortions. Though Mara notes a decrease in calls from the Republic since the referendum, she says many people who are beyond 12 weeks or who live in the North are still seeking help.
She tells some horrific stories of women who were in desperate circumstances and had not heard of the ASN. These women all wanted to have an abortion, but due to strict laws in their countries, felt they had to resort to methods of ‘self-abortion’.
“The number of people who have called us and said ‘I was completely against abortion until my 14-year-old daughter got pregnant, until my wife got cancer, until my husband killed himself, until my partner and I both lost our jobs, until we found out that our four-year-old has leukaemia and right now is not the best time for us to have a baby. I was totally against an abortion until I needed an abortion’.”
Mara says she started the charity to ensure that the only thing stopping a woman from being able to access an abortion is'nt money. She states that making abortion illegal does not stop it from happening, but it means women are more likely to resort to more dangerous means.
The ASN’s clients include those who are homeless or living in poverty, those pregnant because of rape, those who are in or escaping abusive relationships and many others. Mara stresses that the aim of the charity isn't to decide for their clients, but to help them if they do decide abortion is right for them.
“If you got pregnant tomorrow, who would you want to be in control of whether you continued that pregnancy? You – with unbiased information from a healthcare provider? The person who got you pregnant? Your mum? Your dad? Theresa May? The Pope? Who would you want to have the right to make that decision for you?”
Mara says wealthy women who decide they want an abortion can access them, even if their country has strict laws prohibiting it. She says this is because they can afford to travel and pay to have the procedure done elsewhere.
This case of 'one rule for one, another for the rest' definitely seems unfair. Mara says: “The women who have money can get abortions. All we’re talking about are the women who don’t have the money and the resources.”
Interestingly, wealth also seems to be a focal point for the argument against abortion. At least according to Dawn McAvoy, co-founder of Both Lives Matter in Northern Ireland.
“We believe that every woman deserves the right to bring their child into the world and that we should never say to a poorer woman that abortion is better for her.”
Both Lives Matter speaks in defence of the current laws in Northern Ireland. Dawn gives examples of women who have come to the movement with stories of how they felt pressured into having an abortion due to their circumstances. She mentions a woman who had been raped and who had an abortion because she was made to feel it was the right choice.
“Now, as an adult, she said that the long-term consequences of the abortion were more detrimental to her than the sexual crime that occurred. The abortion added to the trauma. We can’t assume that it’s what’s best.”
This is an important point and it's terrifying to think that in 2019, women in countries that we see as developed and modern are facing situations where they feel pressured into an abortion. Both Lives Matter advocates for better child care and support for mothers, so that regardless of a woman’s wealth or living situation, she does not feel abortion is the only option.
It's interesting that both the Abortion Support Network and Both Lives Matter aim to support women who are poorer or in difficult circumstances. The key part of this seems to be choice. For the ASN, a person should get to choose an abortion if they want one, no matter how much money they have in the bank. For Both Lives Matter, a person should be able to have a child regardless of their wealth.
Both Lives Matter was launched based off a striking statistic. Their launch report claims there are 100,000 people alive today who would not be if abortion law in Northern Ireland were different. Dawn says they received backlash for using this statistic from pro-abortion activists, who contacted the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) to complain about it. However, the ASA rejected the complaints after an investigation.
Though not true of all pro-life and pro-choice activists, this is just one example of how heated the debate can become. There are compelling arguments both for and against abortion, so disagreement is inevitable. However, attempting to silence genuine statistics does not contribute to a healthy and productive conversation – something that both Dawn and Mara are keen to see.
Dawn says: “Yes – we all have bodily autonomy. We have bodily autonomy up to a point where we can’t do [what we want] with our own body when it hurts another person’s body. In pregnancy, we have our own child within our body. So, that’s where private choice should be limited.”
Mara, however, disagrees and believes it should be completely down to personal choice. She says she is glad there has been a decrease in the number of people needing help from the ASN since law changes in the Republic of Ireland.
“We have no idea what the next year has in store for us, but we’re going to keep going until the phone stops ringing.”
Having spoken to both Dawn and Mara, it's easy to see the conflicting arguments and understand their passion for the subject. Listening to their points is thought-provoking and shows there are deep-rooted issues both in preventing abortion and in the way that some women feel pressured to have one.
Perhaps the most important take away from what they have both said is that there are women who are feeling pressured into making huge decisions – whether that is to have a baby they do not want, or to abort a baby they do want to bring into the world. In 2019, we need to ensure our society is safe and judgement-free, allowing each woman to make the choice that is right for her.
We want to hear your thoughts - no matter what they are - on this topic so we can discuss them in our upcoming podcast. Get in touch with us via email at contact.us.taboo@gmail.com, send us a message on Facebook or tweet us.
If you are affected by any of the issues mentioned, you can contact the National Sexual Health Helpline on 0300 123 7123 or visit the NHS website, or if you are in Northern Ireland you can call the Family Planning Agency helpline on 0345 122 8687 for unbiased advice.
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