Pro-lifers are preparing to gather together in the heart of Glasgow this evening for SPUC’s Annual Torchlight Procession, commemorating the millions of lives lost to abortion since the passing of the 1967 Abortion Act.
The Torchlight Procession is a peaceful vigil organised by SPUC each year in October to mark the anniversary of legislation that legalised abortion in England, Scotland and Wales.
In the 54 years since the legalisation of abortion, 9,789,238 babies have been killed through abortion, in what SPUC’s Michael Robinson, Executive Director (Public Affairs and Legal Services), has slammed as “a national outrage”.
The Torchlight Procession is a mark of remembrance and respect for those lives lost and damaged by abortion.
Participants will meet in George Square from 6 pm and pray the Rosary, led by Father Ryan Black. Then a candlelit procession will head through the city centre to St. Andrew’s Cathedral, where Mass will be celebrated at 7.30 pm.
Counting the cost
In 2020, an average of one baby was lost to abortion every two and half minutes, as abortion reached an all-time high in the UK, with 210,860 unborn babies being killed in England and Wales alone, with an additional 13,815 lives lost in Scotland.
The evidence-based review, Abortion and Women’s Health, reveals the horrific impact that abortion can have on the mental health of some women.
Key findings from this review include:
- A woman who undergoes an abortion is six times more likely to commit suicide than a woman who gives birth.
- A woman is 30% more likely to suffer from depression compared to a woman who gives birth.
- A woman is 25% more likely to suffer from anxiety compared to a woman who gives birth.
- A woman who has had an abortion is at a higher risk of psychiatric admission compared to a woman who gives birth.
SPUC’s Mr. Robinson said: “It was 54 years ago yesterday that David Steel’s bill was passed. It opened the door to a tragedy that has seen the loss of over 9 million lives, as well as untold emotional trauma for those involved in abortion.
“This is a national outrage that must not go unmarked. We encourage any of our supporters to attend the Annual Torchlight Procession, if possible, in Glasgow in memory of those lives lost.”