The nurse was led to believe she was assisting a patient who had suffered a miscarriage 

A Vermont nurse has been left ‘traumatised’ after a hospital ‘violated her civil rights’, by forcing her to partake in an abortion procedure, despite her deep-held moral objections.

The nurse, who has not been named, believed that she would be participating in a procedure to aid a patient who had suffered a miscarriage. She had previously made it clear to her employer that she did not wish to participate in abortion procedures due to conscientious objection.

However, it has been reported by The Atlantic, that upon entering the room, the nurse was told ‘please don’t hate me’ by the doctor, when it became clear the procedure was an elective abortion.

The nurse faced the prospect of losing her job when she asked to be relieved of participating. It has been reported that under pressure to remain in the theatre, the nurse "relented and has been traumatised ever since".  SPUC has branded the case "abusive violation of freedom of conscience."

"A person who refuses to perform abortions, does not belong at a women’s clinic"

Similarly, in 2018, SPUC reported on the case of a Swedish midwife who was refused employment because she would not participate in abortion. Ellinor Grimmark was even prevented from giving care and support to expectant mothers because of her objection to abortion.  

In 2013, Grimmark was offered a job at a women’s clinic, however employers later withdrew the offer of employment after Grimmark explained that for conscience reasons she could not participate in abortions. She later applied to another women’s clinic, where she was informed that "a person who refuses to perform abortions doesn’t belong at a women’s clinic."

When pursuing legal action against these decisions, the Swedish district court of Jonkoping County Council ruled against her.

The instances of nurses being pressured to participate in abortion continue to grow. SPUC was at the centre of such a case when supporting Scottish midwives, Mary Doogan and Connie Woods, who in 2014 were ousted from employment after refusing to participate in the abortion process.

Doogan and Woods brought their case to the Supreme court, which was made possible through the generosity of SPUC supporters who donated towards the legal costs. The gruelling six-year struggle in that case ended with the Supreme Court ruling against Doogan and Woods.

"A global violation of freedom of conscience"

SPUC Chief Executive, John Smeaton described forced participation in abortion procedures as "a dreadful denial on the rights of others."

Mr Smeaton said: "Under the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

"What these professionals have endured, is an abusive violation of freedom of conscience. Through manipulation and pressure, the nurse in Vermont was forced to participate in what is the killing of an innocent human being. This is a disturbing infringement of her conscience and a horrendous emotional ordeal to say nothing of the fundamental injustice against the baby killed by the procedure."

He continued: "What we are now witnessing is a global violation of freedom of conscience as various nations have now undertaken measures to punish those medical staff reluctant to partake in the killing of humans through abortion. It is vital that medical staff re-assert their right to integrity of conscience and restore the Hippocratic ethic which once underpinned medical practice."