The Abortion Rights Campaign have launched media guidelines to assist those reporting on abortion in choosing appropriate language and imagery to reflect the lived experience of those accessing abortion. 

The guidelines, which are available for download from abortionrightscampaign.ie, include a summary of abortion law in Ireland to date, guidance on reporting of personal experience of abortion, along with langague guidelines based on recommendations from international reproductive rights groups and healthcare providers.

Anna Carnegie, spokesperson for the Abortion Rights Campaign, said “In a short space of time, Ireland has moved from the secrecy and stringency of the 1995 Information Act to seeing the MyOptions.ie phone number advertised on public transport. 

“In the wake of last year’s decisive referendum result, abortion has moved from debate topic to everyday healthcare reality. It’s vital that print, broadcast and digital media take that on board.

“Irish people are now accessing abortion in their own country. The debate has shifted, and it’s time to make sure that the language used while reporting on these experiences has shifted too.”

Since the historic 66.4% Yes vote on May 25th 2018 little has changed in the media when it comes to reporting on abortion. We deserve stigma-free material based on facts and evidence and that doesn’t contribute to abortion stigma. To that end we have produced some media guidelines for the reporting of abortion.