The pro-choice campaigning group is carrying out a survey of people’s experiences of abortion care in Ireland since services began in 2019. The survey will be available in 11 languages on the ARC website from today.
The Abortion Rights Campaign (ARC) today launched an evaluation project to gather vital information on people’s experiences of Ireland’s current abortion legislation. This survey is open to all who have accessed, or attempted to access, abortion services in Ireland since 2019. In light of the upcoming legislation review in 2021, this project will gather evidence around how the current legislation is working, from the perspective of those directly affected by it.
The Government reported in June 2020 that over 6,500 people accessed abortion in Ireland in 2019. Despite this, legal experts have warned that the current legislation is not completely adequate. Doctors and the charity Abortion Support Network have raised concerns about a range of practical barriers, including the 12-week limit for abortion on request, the mandatory 3-day waiting period and the lack of access for those with pregnancies with severe as opposed to ‘fatal’ foetal abnormalities.
Anna Carnegie, spokesperson for ARC, said,
“The data collected will be used to identify areas of good or poor practice, to help us recognise barriers to access, and to propose areas for policy change, resource provision and further research. We at ARC have raised concerns about legislation since the people of Ireland voted overwhelmingly to pass the referendum in 2018. Since then we have heard about the difficulties faced by pregnant people who are being left behind by this legislation. Our hope is that with this evaluation we can paint a broader picture of the reality of abortion access in Ireland today.”
“While the repeal of the 8th Amendment was a hugely important step in the fight for reproductive autonomy and bodily integrity for women and anyone who can get pregnant in Ireland, the fight is far from over. By sharing our stories, we can continue to ensure that the voices and experiences of those who need abortions are accounted for in policy-making.”
This survey will be available in 11 languages through the ARC website. Participation is anonymous, confidential and voluntary. ARC will analyse and compile the information in a report which will be presented to the Oireachtas as part of the legislative review next year.
You can take the survey at https://www.abortionrightscampaign.ie/survey/
