![[Press Release]: Obstruction to Abortion: « The truth will prevail! »](https://www.alliancevita.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Senat.jpg)
by NexDev | December 7, 2016 | Abortion, Press Releases
The French Senate just voted an amended text on numerical obstruction to abortion, broadening this offence to include any means of “pressure” opposing abortion on anyone searching for information on abortion.
Alliance VITA (whose SOS BABY crisis center was cited several times by the media) blames the government and the MPs for censuring those who refuse to trivialize abortion. What is truly at stake is access to impartial information, but also preventing pressure on women to abort.
Caroline Roux, Alliance VITA’s crisis center coordinator for the listening service’s hot lines emphasizes :
“It is unacceptable to target not only internet sites, but also adding all means of communication. Will it become a crime to inform women that abortion is not the only way out? Will it still be possible to help women in distress, especially the younger ones, the poorest, or those whose male partners exert pressure on them to abort? Abortion information given by the French public authorities completely fails to address the dilemma of women’s’ hesitation and the outside pressure exerted on some of them. In addition, the government website asserts that abortion has no long term psychological side effects, which is blatant misinformation. This is in contradiction with our field experience and with what numerous women live through. A huge majority of women is willing a genuine prevention policy on abortion. Therefore, it is perfectlyirresponsible to hide the truth about an act that is far from innocuous, since in every abortion, the destiny of a human life is at stake. The IFOP survey “The French and Abortion” published at the end of September, revealed how oversensitivethe French people feel about this issue: 72% are expecting an involvement from society to help women avoid abortion.”
Tugdual Derville, Alliance VITA’s General Delegate states :
« The Senate’s new text emphasizes the partial attitude that we are precisely denouncing: for the government only “pressures” from those who hinder access to abortion are questionable and can be opposed.
Firstly this is unfair, because no one will be allowed to protect women from the numerous pressures they are submitted to, pushing them to abort, especially the pressure from their partners. In many ways, abortion is a violence against women when it is decided and imposed by men. Furthermore, it is dangerous for every citizen who believes that abortion is a tragedy to be avoided if possible. Shall we have to renounce proposing help to women who would find this information useful when faced with an unexpected pregnancy, because we are afraid of the legal consequences? Even more so, since this broad range offence concerns every individual who wants to be informed about abortion, even when he (or she) is not personally implicated. In any case, we will not be gagged by censure, or by threats, because women have a right to know the truth.”
While the « Thought Police » keep pretending that abortion is a trivial act, censuring any contestation, while the government shows no qualms about misinforming women on its own “official” website, denying the reality of abortion and itsconsequences, Alliance VITA will continue to speak freely, to offer assistance and to provide reliable information to any person calling their crisis center, in a caring and respectful manner.
by NexDev | December 1, 2016 | Abortion, Press Releases
By voting the new legislation on numerical obstruction to abortion to ban online sites opposing abortion, the deputies seriously infringe the freedom of expression.
Alliance VITA, whose SOS Baby crisis line was mentioned by several different media sources, blames the government for censuring those who refuse to trivialize abortion. It is unfair to target specific websites: could it be a crime to inform women on alternative choices to abortion? What is truly at stake is the neutral character of information.
Caroline Roux, Coordinator of the listening service crisis center emphasizes:
“For the past 15 years, the quality of information on abortion published by public authorities has truly degraded. Currently when a pregnant woman consults for an abortion, the government no longer tells her about the benefits to which pregnant women are entitled. On the « government information site » no mention is made of this whatsoever. Additionally, on this same site, an alleged expert claims that after an abortion there are no long-term psychological side effects. This is in complete contradiction with our experience concerning what some women live through and with the results of the IFOP survey “The French and Abortion” published at the end of September 2016. The High Authority on Healthcare finds it is regrettable to see such a lack of evaluation on this point. An overwhelming majority of women want a genuine prevention policy for abortion. Therefore, it is irresponsible to hide the reality of such an act which is anything but trivial, since in every case the destiny of a human life is at stake. We are often contacted by women who have been enduring these difficult consequences alone.”
Tugdual Derville, General Delegate:
“Above all, we are blaming the government for the twofold misinformation they provide to the women who consult their web site. Firstly the catch phrase about “the right to control one’s own body” is not even remotely impartial, and secondly the denial of any long term psychological suffering for women following an abortion is a deliberate deception which must be stopped.
« It is incredibly outrageous to declare a state of legislative emergency for a subject requiring discernment, recoil, and discussion and it is completely irresponsible to attack our listening services. For the past 20 years, it has provided a public service that the public authorities abandoned. Ever since French Health Minister Mrs. Rossignol launched this controversy, our website has been mentioned numerous times by the media. However, no one from Mrs. Rossignol’s services has ever called us to let us know which information was considered “offensive” or to investigate on our “field” experience on this subject. Our request for an appointment with the minister still remains unanswered. What we urgently need is to start a peaceful and unbiased discussion for a genuine policy focused on preventing abortion, particularly for women facing unexpected pregnancies.”
On November 29, 2017 Alliance VITA launched, throughout the country, an information campaign to reduce abortion. This campaign, investigated on men’s opinions on abortion. The objective was to clear up persistent misunderstandings on sexuality, contraception and pregnancy. These misconceptions are the source of many abortions that women reluctantly undergo, and which could be avoided:
http://levonslesmalentendus.alliancevita.org.
by NexDev | November 30, 2016 | Abortion, Press Releases
Via this press conference on the eve of the first debate on numerical obstruction to abortion, which the government decided to examine in an accelerated procedure, Alliance VITA is willing to share its expertise on this subject, which is often badly handled.
Tugdual Derville, the association’s General Delegate, showed the gap between the government’s attitude, (which is very close to censuring those who fight against trivializing abortion), and the need for an abortion prevention policy, as an answer to the French people’s aspirations and expectations, particularly French women). He specifically underlined the latest survey results The French and Abortion, performed by IFOP at VITA’s request.
This press conference was also an opportunity to point out how far off target was the debate on abortion before the primary election for the right and the center candidates.
Abortion: let us clear up a misunderstanding
Caroline Roux and Valérie Boulanger, respectively responsible for Alliance VITA’s crisis center, and SOS Baby listening service, explained the situation on abortion, based on the reports from the women who call Alliance VITA’s listening service.
The website www.sosbebe.org is consulted more than 800,000 times a year. The SOS baby crisis center receives several thousands of calls from women or couples for issues related to pregnancy, mainly those concerning abortion. Alliance VITA’s experience shows that behind the obvious and massive trivialization of abortion, there are troublesome misconceptions between men and women which have been occulted, and need to be unveiled.
The debate on criminalizing numerical obstruction to abortion: an analysis by Henri de Soos
Henri de Soos, Alliance VITA’s General Secretary, proposed an analysis of this new offense being debated, in its current modification by the Social Affairs Committee at the French National Assembly.
He demonstrated to what extent the original law in 1975 had gradually lost all its provisions which were supposed to allow for an abortion prevention policy. Lastly, he disclosed that Alliance VITA had requested the government, on the same day, to delete from it’s website the video of an obstetrician gynecologist who asserts that abortion leaves no long term psychological side effects on women, which constitutes blatant misinformation.
Furthermore, the association announced that as of now, more than 45,000 individuals have already signed the petition against criminalizing numerical obstruction to abortion and in favor of clear adequate information on this subject.
An information campaign launched throughout France
Finally, Alliance VITA published the first results from its unusual survey and information campaign which had begun the day before.
Performed by 600 female volunteers from Alliance VITA investigating on men’s opinions on abortion, it shows the urgent need for men to become involved in preventing abortion, due to lingering misconceptions between men and women on sexuality, contraception, pregnancy and paternity.
The female volunteers who carried out the survey received an excellent welcome by the men. Their interest for the 24-page fold out leaflet specifically printed for them, confirms that it is appropriate to help men get involved, so that women will not be forced to abort against their will, under pressure from their partner or because of anxiety without having a sufficient period of time for reflection.
This unprecedented campaign was planned long ago. Alliance VITA, who has been publishing a guide for pregnant women containing the details of the benefits and support to which they are entitled, remains firm on its decision to inform women, thus performing a public service, in spite of a few politicians trying to gag them so that only those who trivialize abortion can voice their opinions.
by NexDev | November 29, 2016 | Abortion, Press Releases
On Tuesday November 29, 2017 Alliance VITA launched throughout France an unusual survey and information campaign investigating on men’s opinion on abortion. It was held in the streets with over 600 female volunteers from Alliance VITA and on the web via a dedicated site created to clear up the misunderstandings: levonslesmalentendus.alliancevita.org.
And what if men could also play a part in reducing abortions?
Alliance VITA’s new campaign is motivated by this strong belief. Men in the street are invited to give their opinions and respond to a few questions from the volunteers. The role of men is often ignored during the discussions on abortion… Yet in every case of pregnancy a man is involved. The work at the crisis center and SOS baby listening service consistently demonstrates that men have many misconceptions on sexuality, contraception and pregnancy. These misconceptions account for many abortions that women reluctantly undergo, and which could be avoided.
Sexuality, maternity, paternity: the time has come for reconciliation between men and women. For Alliance VITA this is the prerequisite condition for a genuine abortion prevention policy.
by NexDev | November 22, 2016 | Uncategorised
The exchange of mutual insults between the two final candidates on the subject of abortion is outrageous for a French political debate. It shows the extent to which libertarian ideology has been preventing for years an honest debate on the prevention of abortion.
When approximately 40% of French women have aborted at least once in their life, it is pathetic to handle a major health and social issue with an exchange of personal insults regarding a law voted in 1975 and which has undergone umpteen modifications.
Caroline Roux, Alliance VITA’s Crisis Center Coordinator and specialist for pregnancy and maternity issues states: “This argument demonstrates how far off target politicians are. This debate on abortion is absurd and completely disconnected with reality. There are twice as many abortions in France compared to Germany. It is a painful and oversensitive issue; no one wishes for a woman to resort to abortion. So much was done to claim that abortion is a fundamental right, that those who suffer from abortion, those who would prefer not to abort, particularly when they are under pressure from their partner or their working environment, which can sometimes be extremely fierce, are not heard. This is the present–day reality. The psychological side effects that women suffer after abortion are widely denied. And as the French National Authority for Health admitted, we lack objective studies.”
Tugdual Derville, Alliance VITA’s General Delegate emphasizes:
« We expect our politicians to assume their responsibility for the genuine traumatisms connected with abortion. Today the government has announced its 5th ministerial mobilization strategy to fight against all types of abuse committed against women. Is it not high time to examine the abuse that pregnant women experience? Several surveys by the High Advisory Counsel for Equality between Men and Women report that in 40% of the cases, the partner’s abuse started with the first pregnancy. One study reports that 27% of abortion requests are directly linked with abuse. The tiny measures that were supposed to protect women considering abortion were all eliminated throughout this 5-year term: the concept of distress, the 1 week reflection period. Society has gradually divested itself of its responsibility and become unaccountable. Any political leader longing for a changeover must be free from libertarian ideological injunctions in order to handle this issue with great insight, honesty, without personal interest or caricature.”
At a time when the socialist government is preparing to enforce a new offense, threatening associations which refuse to trivialize abortion and give women information on rights and subventions which could help them avoid an abortion, we expect the future presidential candidates to be brave enough to state their positions clearly and speak freely on this oversensitive subject and come up with a genuine prevention policy for abortion.
