[Press release] Abortion: Why is the High Council for Equality unaware of the pressure on women to abort?

Alliance VITA has learned according to the latest report published by the French High Council for Equality between men and women (HEC) that the government is now recommending even easier access to abortion with absolutely no proposition whatsoever to help women avoid abortion.

Alliance VITA denounces this one-track mind set emanating from these recommendations which backfire against women by forbidding any freedom of expression on abortion. It is especially significant when the HEC recommends eliminating all conscience clauses for all healthcare staff, thus showing an ideological posture The council is also in favor of the new law for criminalizing numerical obstruction to abortion, a law which is targeted towards those who refuse to accept abortion as being a trivial act.

Caroline Roux, Alliance VITA’s coordinator for listening services crisis center declares:

« It is time to challenge the stereotypes and accept the reality of what women experience. Shall we go on with those debates which describe abortion as the foundation for equality between women and men? Do we need to recall that abortion is often imposed on reluctant women who abort against their will, whereas men never live through this experience? Furthermore we have noticed, when listening to women who ask themselves whether or not to continue their pregnancy, that it is most often the man who pressures a woman into having an abortion. Abortion is therefore a genuine violence against women who are confronted with an unexpected pregnancy; nonetheless the HCE is entirely silent concerning this violence. Promoting true equality would be to assist women in avoiding abortion; such an act is never undertaken in a light-hearted manner. There should be a genuine abortion prevention policy via an unbiased information offering women an alternative to abortion if they so wish. It is also crucial to include men in the focus on abortion prevention to clarify the growing misunderstandings between men and women on abortion issues.”  

Tugdual Derville, Alliance VITA’s general delegate asks:

“Isn’t it ironic that the HCE, who purports to defend attacks on women, is now rejoicing in deleting distress factors and shortening the reflection period for women before having recourse to abortion? Via our listening services, we have observed that these latter two factors constituted the ultimate protection for women enduring pressure to abort. HCE’s support of the government project to implement the new legislation on numerical obstruction to abortion, in a legal process which is can be compared to delivery by forceps, will result in even more women being pressured into abortions. Why are those proposing alternatives for women faced with unexpected pregnancy being intimidated? In this matter, the patrolling thought police are denying reality: in every abortion the destiny of another human being is at stake. It will never be innocuous, neither for women, nor for society. This is why the objective for an abortion prevention policy should focus on helping women avoid abortion.”

Alliance VITA continues to plead for a genuine abortion prevention policy.

Last November the association launched an unprecedented information campaign to reduce abortion, focused on men’s opinion and clarifying misunderstandings on sexuality, contraception and pregnancy. These misconceptions account for many abortions that women reluctantly undergo, and which could be avoided:

http://levonslesmalentendus.alliancevita.org/

Whereas a vote will soon be held on “numerical obstruction to abortion” which the government forced through by declaring a state of legislative emergency without any real prior discussion, Alliance VITA advocates the March for Life to be held Sunday January 22 in Paris.