MPs in England and Wales are considering amendments to decriminalise abortion, aiming to end police investigations stemming from a 1861 law. Labour MPs Tonia Antoniazzi and Stella Creasy introduced rival proposals in the Crime and Policing Bill, emphasizing the need for change in legislation amid rising abortion rates and inquiries into women's reproductive choices. While currently legal up to 24 weeks with physician approval, investigations into illegal terminations are becoming more frequent. The Royal College of Obstetricians supports reform, underscoring the adverse effects of ongoing inquiries on vulnerable women, including victims of abuse.
Abortion is currently legal up to 24 weeks in Great Britain with the approval of two doctors, but after that point abortion is only allowed under strict conditions.
Only three women were convicted of having an illegal abortion between 1861 and November 2022, when the law was changed to allow women to take abortion pills at home up to 10 weeks of pregnancy.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has called for a law change and has backed an amendment from Antoniazzi that aims to prevent investigations of women.
Antoniazzi argued that the investigations are 'dehumanising and prolonged' and the women forced to endure them are often extraordinarily vulnerable, including victims of domestic abuse.
Collection
[
|
...
]