Press Release by Abortion Rights Campaign
Friday 7th October 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
POLL SHOWS PUBLIC WANT A REFERENDUM ON THE 8TH AMENDMENT, SAY ABORTION RIGHTS CAMPAIGN
Citizen’s Assembly delaying the inevitable, says pro-choice group
Reacting to the latest poll in Irish Times which shows 75% of the population want to remove the 8th Amendment from the constitution, Abortion Rights Campaign (ARC) spokesperson Linda Kavanagh said: “We know from previous opinion polls that the vast majority of people want to see a change to our abortion laws, this latest poll confirms yet again that the people of Ireland want the 8th Amendment removed from the constitution. It’s time for the government to stop delaying and call a referendum sooner rather than later.”
Ms Kavanagh also expressed concern over the framing of some questions in the poll. “Without access to the questions in the poll we cannot be sure to what extent those polled support liberalised abortion access. For example, the idea of “UK style” abortion doesn’t make sense, when abortion access varies so wildly in different regions of the UK. The poll questions seemed to imply that women in the UK have access to abortion in any circumstance. This is not the case. Abortion in the UK is restricted, and where it takes place outside the law it is criminalised. There are many limits on abortion in the UK and and those limits vary from region to region: In Northern Ireland and the Isle of Mann abortion is illegal in almost all circumstances, in Scotland abortion is not accessible in many cases, and in Wales and England the time limit is 24 weeks.”
ARC spokesperson Michali Hyams said: “While we welcome the broad support for repeal this poll shows, we also see the majority polled only support legislation for abortion in limited circumstances. We would ask those who support restriction on abortion access to think about what a reporting system for abortion in cases of rape would look like? Given what women who seek abortion on grounds of suicide are forced to go through (examination by up to 6 doctors), we have to ask in what way and to what extent would a woman need to “prove” she was raped in order to be granted an abortion? We believe any legislation of this nature would be unworkable in reality.
“Forcing any woman to prove she is worthy of medical care reinforces a culture that views women as either incapable or undeserving of having informed consent about what happens to her body.”
“The vast majority of women who travel outside of Ireland for abortion, or take abortion pills here (risking 14 years in prison), do so for a wide range of reasons not covered by rape or Fatal Foetal Abnormality (FFA). Health reasons, financial reasons, or because it is simply not the right time for them to have a child. Introducing only limited abortion legislation will continue to force thousands of women each year to to travel for healthcare that should be available at home.”
ENDS
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