Buffer zones around abortion facilities in Scotland will come into effect on 24 September, in just under three weeks, it has been announced. The public will face fines of £10,000 or more if they violate the new law.
Scottish buffer zones, or the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill, was approved by 118 MSP votes to one on 12 June – a “dark day” for the nation, said SPUC.
MSP Gillian Mackay’s Bill imposes a zone of 200m around facilities in Scotland that provide abortion – all pro-life activity is effectively outlawed within the zones, and this includes silent prayer, which is said to “influence” a woman’s abortion decision.
Proposed amendments, such as a provision to allow individual silent prayer within buffer zones, were rejected before the final vote on 12 June.
While SPUC does not participate in or organise prayer vigils or pro-life activity outside abortion facilities, it defends the right of citizens to offer help and moral support to women in crisis pregnancies.
At a Holyrood committee hearing into buffer zones, SPUC’s Margaret Akers explained that such vigils offer women a way out of abortion:
“A great number of the women I work with do not feel that they were properly counselled at a clinical level ahead of their abortion, and do not feel they were given all of the information in order to make an informed choice.”
Police Scotland also told the hearing that no crime had ever been identified concerning any pro-life presence outside abortion facilities.
Similarly, research commissioned by the Scottish Government found no instances of abuse, and it observed that pro-life activity was “consistent with the concept of an abortion vigil, rather than a protest”.
“Buffer zones deny women true choice”
Daniel Frampton, SPUC’s Editorial Officer, said: “Illiberal buffer zones deny women true choice by outlawing alternative offers of potentially life-saving advice and aid.
“It was clear throughout the process of this bill that supporters of this law cared more about suppressing pro-life speech and action than helping women in crisis pregnancies. The urge to censor and threaten ordinary Scots with fines (£10,000 or more) to achieve this end is deeply disturbing.
“The misinformation spread by the pro-abortion lobby about pro-life vigils was shown by Police Scotland and independent researchers to be false – see five myths about pro-life vigils debunked.
“In the end, this SNP-led suppression of free speech was a premediated action designed to further normalise abortion. This agenda was confirmed this month when the SNP conference voted to enshrine abortion as a guaranteed right in the constitution of an independent Scotland.
“Buffer zones betray the very women that abortion ideologues say they want to protect. Moreover, this law infringes Scots’ fundamental rights to free speech and religious freedom, setting a dangerous precedent for the future.”