The SPUC Glasgow Conference, which took place on 19 October, has been praised as a “sign of growing pro-life unity and strength”.

Over 120 delegates attended the one-day Glasgow conference hosted by SPUC, where they were informed on the growing issue of abortion coercion and empowered on how to become a more effective advocate for life.

Speakers included Dr Greg Pike and Fiorella Nash, whose wealth of knowledge and decades of expertise exposed to delegates the shocking reality of abortion that pro-abortion apologists have for decades sought to keep from the public.

Delegates heard a moving testimony from Hayley, who courageously provided an insight into her own experience of coerced abortion.

Highlighting the reality of abortion coercion 

Dr Greg Pike, bioethicist and founding Director of the Adelaide Centre for Bioethics and Culture in Adelaide, South Australia, and Senior Research Fellow at the Bios Centre, spoke about how academics have been “enormously downplaying” the very real problem of abortion coercion, which some pro-abortion academics have even dismissed as a “myth”.

Unpacking the latest research on the broad theme of “reproductive coercion”, coined in 2010, Dr Pike highlighted the “concerning” lack of focus on abortion coercion in current academic literature – and how studies have generally shied away from inconvenient truths about abortion – despite the abortion coercion being shown to account for at least 15% of abortions, and even more in other surveys.

Reasons cited by Dr Pike for the neglect of abortion coercion included academics not wanting to undermine the idea of abortion as a free and fully considered choice, and fears that recognition of this very real problem might lead to restrictions on abortion.

Dr Pike provided delegates with numerous insights and observations, explaining to them the complexities of the issues being discussed, and which have generally been excluded from the “mainstream narrative” on abortion.

One such issue was the distressing mental health outcomes for women, “very clear” in cases when a woman was pressured to abort a wanted baby.

Remarking on the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade in the United States, Dr Pike observed that the speed with which many US states had introduced pro-life legislation clearly indicated that there are “misgivings” about abortion among the general populace – concerns and suspicions that, Dr Pike’s talk showed, were backed up by research.

Coerced abortion is abuse

Hayley, who personally experienced coerced abortion, courageously addressed delegates with a harrowing insight into the reality of coercion and the different forms in which this abuse can present itself.

Hayley had an abortion when she was 16. Her partner, Scott, who was an older man, coerced her into having an abortion.

Speaking to the delegates, Hayley recalled how she did not want to have an abortion, but the pressure from her partner was threatening. Scott attempted to hit Hayley with his car and pressured her into having an abortion by telling her that their baby was “just cells” and that it wouldn’t feel anything.

Scott and his friend drove Hayley to an abortion clinic 40 miles away and left her there to have the abortion alone. Hayley described how no one at the abortion clinic offered her another meaningful alternative to abortion. She cried the entire time and just wanted someone to say “STOP don’t do it,” But nobody did.

Hayley discussed how recent Government measures, such as the DIY home abortion scheme, gives abusive men easy access to abortion drugs, allowing them to coerce vulnerable women into having abortions. Hayley stated with certainty that if the DIY home abortion scheme had existed when she was pregnant, her abusive partner would have had no reservations about using it to force her into having an abortion.

Hayley’s testimony affirmed the dark reality of coerced abortion which countless women are forced to endure.

The feminist perspective

To conclude the conference, Fiorella Nash, a writer and bioethicist, specialising in life issues from a feminist perspective, delivered a presentation entitled For Her Own Good? Coercion and the Myth of Choice.

Fiorella provided a passionate insight into how radical pro-abortion “feminism” is betraying women, and discussed a host of life issues, including abortion, sex selective practices, informed consent and commercial surrogacy.

Fiorella described to delegates how denial has always been a necessary defence mechanism for abortion advocates, but rather than have the courage to face scientific realities head-on, many supporters of abortion hide behind ever more elaborate and misleading language to conceal the truth of what abortion involves. “Gentle suction” or “products of conception” are common disingenuous phrases used by abortion providers, which distort the reality of abortion.

Fiorella stated that in order for women to be truly free, they must be intellectually free, and that means challenging and breaking away from decades of indoctrinating propaganda. If abortion promoters regard women as too infantile to be given the uncensored truth, it is difficult to see on what basis they can speak of giving women an informed choice – and a choice that is not informed is no choice at all.

“A wonderful day of pro-life unity and inspiration”

SPUC’s Michael Robinson, Executive Director (Public Affairs and Legal Services), said: “The SPUC Glasgow Conference follows two major national pro-life events; the SPUC London Conference and Glasgow’s Torchlight procession, which saw hundreds of pro-lifers turn out in a public act of witness to commemorate the 55th anniversary of the passing of the Abortion Act.

“There was, indeed, a true spirit of optimism at both the SPUC London and Glasgow conferences, which are the first SPUC events since the remarkable overturning of Roe v. Wade in the United States.

“SPUC would like to thank all keynote speakers for their informative, engaging and often revelatory talks. SPUC would also like to extend its thanks and gratitude to all conference delegates for their unwavering support and bravery in fighting for a pro-life future.

“The challenges that the pro-life movement faces are great. But we have science and truth on our side. The pro-life position is simple. Life begins at conception. Every human life is valuable and worthy of protection. We will continue to proclaim these facts and stand up for unborn babies and their mothers.”