Lords urged to ensure women criminalised for abortion are not left behind'

"Although there are far fewer who have been convicted, that conviction is a life sentence—it prevents them getting jobs, and even when renewing their car insurance every year they'll have to explain they have a lifelong criminal record."

"When I heard how the system has treated these women and girls when they are at their most vulnerable, and how they may have to explain this every time their [disclosure and barring service] check gets renewed, it was clear this cruelty had to be stopped."

Campaigners are urging lawmakers to protect women already arrested, investigated, and convicted under abortion legislation in England and Wales if the law changes to decriminalize abortion. The House of Commons previously voted to end criminalizing women who terminate pregnancies outside legal frameworks. The House of Lords is considering amendments to end active police investigations into suspected illegal abortions and pardon previously criminalized women. Convictions create lifelong consequences, preventing employment and requiring disclosure on background checks and insurance renewals. A case study illustrates how a young healthcare worker faced criminal investigation after seeking medical care following an abortion, highlighting the system's treatment of vulnerable women.

Read at www.theguardian.com