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Abortion law 'harsher in Northern Ireland than in Alabama' Abortion law 'harsher in Northern Ireland than in Alabama'
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Alabama’s near total ban on abortion mirrors the situation in one corner of the UK: Northern Ireland. But pro-choice campaigners in the region say Northern Irish anti-abortion laws are actually stricter than the legislation Republican senators have introduced in the southern US state. Alabama’s near total ban on abortion mirrors the situation in one corner of the UK: Northern Ireland.
They point out that, unlike under Alabama’s new law, Northern Irish women can face jail sentences up to life because the 1861 Offences Against the Persons Act remains in place in Northern Ireland. But pro-choice campaigners in the region say Northern Irish anti-abortion laws are actually stricter than the legislation Republican senators have introduced in the southern US state.
Under this piece of Victorian legislation anyone procuring an abortion can face up to life imprisonment be they medical staff or pregnant women themselves. They point out that, unlike under Alabama’s new law, women in Northern Ireland can face jail sentences up to life because the 1861 Offences Against the Persons Act remains in place. Under this piece of Victorian legislation, anyone procuring an abortion – medical staff or pregnant women – can face life imprisonment.
Alabama abortion ban: Republican state senate passes most restrictive law in USAlabama abortion ban: Republican state senate passes most restrictive law in US
Mara Clarke from the London based Abortion Support Network said today that amid the “international hue and cry over Alabama” people in Britain and across the world should never forget that in one part of the UK there is “an even more draconian anti-abortion regime”.. Mara Clarke from the London-based Abortion Support Network said on Wednesday that amid the “international hue and cry over Alabama” people in Britain and across the world should never forget that in one part of the UK there was “an even more draconian anti-abortion regime”.
Clarke said: ‘We have had a scenario for decades upon decades in which women face the full weight of the law and years of imprisonment if they were to have an abortion in Northern Ireland. There seems to be a permanent block in the public’s mind about the fact that in one part of the United Kingdom basic human reproductive rights are being denied to women. What is going on in Alabama should remind everyone here in the UK as to what is also going on in one part of this state, where women are criminalised and where women are forced to leave home to have abortions in England.” Clarke said: “We have had a scenario for decades upon decades in which women face the full weight of the law and years of imprisonment if they were to have an abortion in Northern Ireland. There seems to be a permanent block in the public’s mind about the fact that in one part of the United Kingdom basic human reproductive rights are being denied to women. What is going on in Alabama should remind everyone here in the UK as to what is also going on in one part of this state, where women are criminalised and where women are forced to leave home to have abortions in England.”
She added that women in Alabama will face the same financial and psychological problems of travelling far afield to obtain an abortion just as thousands of Northern Irish women have done for many years. She said women in Alabama would face the same financial and psychological problems of travelling far afield to obtain an abortion just as thousands of Northern Irish women had done for many years.
Alabama’s law makes abortion a crime at any stage of pregnancy, with an exception only when the woman’s health is at serious risk. The legislation makes it a class A felony for a doctor to perform an abortion, punishable by 10 to 99 years in prison. Women would not face criminal penalties for getting an abortion.Alabama’s law makes abortion a crime at any stage of pregnancy, with an exception only when the woman’s health is at serious risk. The legislation makes it a class A felony for a doctor to perform an abortion, punishable by 10 to 99 years in prison. Women would not face criminal penalties for getting an abortion.
Veteran pro-choice campaigner and University of Ulster academic Goretti Horgan agreed that the anti-abortion regime in Northern Ireland is harsher than the Alabama law, which must now be signed by the state’s governor and is certain to face a challenge in the courts. The pro-choice campaigner and University of Ulster academic Goretti Horgan agreed that the anti-abortion regime in Northern Ireland was harsher than the Alabama law, which must now be signed by the state’s governor and is certain to face a challenge in the courts.
Speaking from Derry, Horgan said: “It’s worth remembering that a mother remains under threat of imprisonment here for getting safe abortion pills for her 15 year old daughter.” Speaking from Derry, Horgan said: “It’s worth remembering that a mother remains under threat of imprisonment here for getting safe abortion pills for her 15-year-old daughter.
Horgan continued: ‘The [Alabama] law is not as harsh in its penalties for women who cause their own abortions though – in Alabama only doctors face up to life imprisonment. Here in Northern Ireland, women who cause their own abortion continue to face up to life in prison if convicted.’ “The [Alabama] law is not as harsh in its penalties for women who cause their own abortions, though – in Alabama only doctors face up to life imprisonment. Here in Northern Ireland, women who cause their own abortion continue to face up to life in prison if convicted.”
The UK’s 1967 Abortion Act – which now allows for lawful abortions across Great Britain up to 22 weeks into pregnancy – was never applied in Northern Ireland. The UK’s 1967 Abortion Act, which now allows for lawful abortions across Great Britain up to 24 weeks into pregnancy and beyond that in certain circumstances, was never applied in Northern Ireland.
An alliance of fundamentalist Protestant Christians supported by their political allies in the Democratic Unionist Party alongside the Catholic Church continue to veto any moves towards reforming the strict anti-abortion laws in the region. An alliance of fundamentalist Protestant Christians supported by their political allies in the Democratic Unionist party continue, alongside the Catholic Church, to block any moves towards reforming the strict anti-abortion laws in the region.
Attempts in the currently deadlocked and frozen Northern Ireland assembly have been blocked by the DUP in the regional parliament. In the absence of devolution in the province, Theresa May’s government, which relies on DUP support at Westminster to remain in power, has resisted moves in the House of Commons to impose abortion reform on the region. Attempts made in the Northern Ireland assembly have been blocked by the DUP. In the absence of devolution, after power-sharing collapsed in 2017, Theresa May’s government, which relies on DUP support at Westminster to remain in power, has resisted moves in the House of Commons to impose abortion reform on the region.
Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland
AbortionAbortion
HealthHealth
WomenWomen
AlabamaAlabama
Reproductive rightsReproductive rights
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