SPUC today joined with a coalition of pro-life groups to demand an immediate end to the DIY home abortion policy.
Marking the first anniversary of the “pills by post” abortion regime, letters were delivered to the Department of Health and Social Care, the Prime Minister and The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists from the Care for Women coalition of pro-life groups.
The letter (which can be seen here) calls on ministers and officials to:
“1. End “pills by post” abortion measures immediately
2. Ensure meticulous and impartial data collection to ascertain the full impact of these measures
3. Ensure women in a crisis pregnancy are properly supported and counselled by truly independent organisations.”
The letter was delivered at each location by Natalia, who had a home abortion in April last year, at the age of 19. Natalia, who took the pills three weeks after they were given to her – so after the legal limit for this method - said that the at-home abortion felt like being “stabbed in the stomach” and led to her spending three days “bleeding through her mattress...not wanting to speak to anyone...all alone”. She said the whole experience “ruined” her (watch Natalia’s full story here).
The open letter details the damning evidence that DIY abortion is a dangerous and misguided policy. The letter includes official statistics, data from freedom of information requests and the results of opinion polls showing both the public and GPs are very concerned about DIY abortion.
The letter concludes: “Whilst claiming to serve the needs of women, these measures, by removing safeguards, have denied women proper medical supervision and care and on many occasions placed them in harm's way…This is why we are calling not only for these measures to be ended and data properly collected, but for independent support and counselling to be put in place to ensure the proper care and protection of women in a crisis pregnancy.”
SPUC’s Alithea Williams joined representatives from CBRUK, Christian Concern, March for Life, Pregnancy Crisis Helpline, Rachel’s Vineyard, The Good Counsel Network, Voice for Justice, and 40 Days for Life.
She said: “It was very powerful to take part in this joint witness marking the first anniversary of this dreadful policy. It’s a day to remember all the babies who have been lost, and all the women who have been hurt. It was particularly moving to have Natalia – one of these very women – present with us, to hand in the letter at each location.
“Those in the Government and health bodies need to be held accountable for what they have done to women like Natalia by capitulating to the abortion lobby and allowing this policy.
“Today, different pro-life groups came together to say that this must end now.”
Image: L-R: Natalia, Rachel McKenzie of Rachel’s Vineyard, Alithea Williams of SPUC, Isabel Vaughan-Spruce of March for Life UK, and Regan King of the Crisis Pregnancy Helpline.