FACTS OF ABORTION
Often Asked Questions on Abortion
WHO SPEAKS FOR THE VOICELESS
At times we are inclined to brush awkward issues under the carpet. If the issue is one of fundamental human rights, then our unwillingness to deal with it may have disastrous consequences for others.
What do we mean by the term abortion?
It is important for us to be clear by what is meant by abortion in today's context. (Abortion is the deliberate and direct killing, by whatever means it is carried out, of a human being in the initial phase of his or her existence, at any time from conception to birth.)
Some confuse essential medical treatment to save the mother's life which results in the death of her baby, with abortion. These kinds of treatment are not abortion, because there is a clear difference between essential medical treatment during pregnancy, and the direct targeting of the life of the unborn baby.
The Irish Medical Council explains this difference in its official 1998 ethical guidelines (ß 26.5): 'The deliberate and intentional destruction of the unborn child is professional misconduct. Should a child suffer or lose his or her life as a side-effect of essential medical treatment of the mother, then this is not unethical.'
The distinction between abortion and essential medical treatment is based on a clear difference between the intention and action of those involved. The abortionist's intention and action are directed to kill the baby. The intention and action of the doctor during essential medical treatment are not directed towards killing the baby, but to protect the life of the mother. If the baby dies during treatment it is despite the best efforts of the doctor.
Should abortion be legalised for victims of rape?
The issue of pregnancy caused by rape is highly emotive and difficult. Pregnancy as a result of rape is rare. Rape is a grave violation that leaves a woman deeply traumatised, physically and emotionally. Those responsible should be severely punished.
Abortion does not heal the woman or undo the rape. In fact it is a further violation of the woman and an attack on another human being. Research has shown that where the woman continued her pregnancy:
* Hostile and negative feelings towards the baby changed;
* Woman who had planned to give up their babies for adoption chose to bring up the baby themselves;
* Some women stated, that if they could see the pregnancy through, they would feel they had conquered the rape.
* Under-age girls do get raped & any carnal knowledge of a girl under the age of consent is statutory rape & but providing abortion facilities do not deter the crime.
* Indeed they go some measure to justifying it, since the rapist can argue that the facility for abortion reduces the consequences of the assault.
* Not only that but if abortion was made legal in the event of rape, any person below the legal age would be entitled to abortion. Also, a threshold for determining whether consent was present would have to be established by some process. Would a complaint suffice? Would it be a matter for the discretion of a medical doctor? We would be entering a legal minefield here. Legal opinion and the Government are of the opinion that it would just not be workable or appropriate for legalised abortion in Ireland on the grounds of an allegation of rape.
The Attorney General told the UN Human Rights Committee that legislation allowing abortion in the case of pregnancy following rape would not work in practice (July 2000). The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, also suggests that it would be legally too difficult to allow abortions to rape victims.
In the UK, where the 1967 abortion law was intended to be a strict law for 'hard cases', over 200,000 abortions were performed in 1999, and over 99% of those killed were perfectly healthy babies from healthy mothers.
What about the threat of suicide?
Suicide, in the context of abortion, is a codeword for abortion on demand, or a woman's right to choose. Well known mental health professionals, such as Dr Anthony Clare and Dr Patricia Casey, have put a lot of thought and effort into trying to tease out the whole issue of suicide in the context of unwanted pregnancy. And it is a difficult and highly emotional area. But the vast majority of experts agree that is that suicide if the gateway to abortion at will.
The Government is of the view that legislation for the provision of abortion on the ground of threat of suicide would start an inevitable and unstoppable slide towards 'social abortion' in Ireland.
Why is a referendum necessary?
As a result of the decision in the X-case of the Supreme Court in 1992, abortion was legalised in uncertain terms & even up to birth. Without this referendum, politicians could introduce an abortion regime, contrary to the already expressed wishes of the vast majority of the Irish people. Basically, the legal protection previously guaranteed by the Irish Constitution was taken away from unborn babies. An absolute disastrous state of affairs.
There is overwhelming popular support for a referendum. Irish people want the opportunity to reject legalised abortion. Opinion polls have shown that 76% of Irish people want the issue of abortion death with by a referendum, and most County Councils have passed resolutions calling for this referendum.
In order to restore full protection to unborn babies an amendment to the Constitution is needed.The alternate scenario would have the law permitting abortion clinics operating in Ireland. It would lead to a dramatic increase in the rate of abortion and effectively introduce abortion on demand.
What about supporting women with unwanted pregnancies?
The recent All Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution unanimously agreed that it was vital to provide a substantial range of social and economic supports for women with unwanted pregnancies. The time for giving lip-service to promises to seriously help the women, their babies and families in difficult situations is now over.
Supporting women: once children are conceived they deserve every support from society and the state. Women in an unwanted pregnancy situation need to know that social supports are in place. There needs to be measures to help lone parents: eg.greater flexibility in the workplace, part-time working and good maternity leave. However there are some special supports which lone parents need, including flexible childcare and access to education, and an adequate level of state support where the parent is not working.
There is a grave responsibility on us all, but particularly those of us who consider ourselves to be concerned about human rights, to build the kind of society where emotional, spiritual and practical help is available to enable a woman to carry a baby to term, and to live a decent and dignified life afterwards.
'Increase funding to counselling groups', says Bishop:
Her call was echoed by Dr.Thomas Finnegan, Bishop of Killala, who has called on the government to increase funding to CURA and LIFE, the voluntary organisations which counsel women facing unwanted pregnancies.
In his homily delivered at Knock Shrine in late April, 2001, the bishop said that CURA and LIFE offer a genuine alternative to women and girls in crisis pregnancies. He also appealed for more volunteers to come forward to help these organisations reach more women.
Echoing the words of Pope John Paul II, he spoke of the abortion culture as part of the 'culture of death'. 'The culture of death promotes a perverse notion of freedom that denies the very right to life', he said. 'It denies it in the name of freedom & freedom to kill'.
But the Bishop warned that, as a society, our NO to abortion must be matched by a compassionate and caring YES to those who find themselves faced with an unexpected pregnancy.
He said, 'We need to ensure that those who feel that abortion is the only way out of a difficult situation are offered a truly life-giving choice'. This included, he added, the need for post-abortion counselling and medical check-ups to 'bring hope to those who have had abortions'.
Is abortion Medically Necessary?
What do the experts in our maternity hospitals say?
'As obstetricians and gynaecologists we affirm that there are no medical circumstances justifying direct abortion, that is circumstances in which the life of the mother may only be saved by directly terminating the life of her unborn baby. We urge the government to give the people the opportunity, in a referendum, to restore full constitutional protection to life before birth'
.
This was a joint statement of four of Irelandís top Obstetricianís and Gynaecologists.
Ireland without legalised abortion has fewer maternal deaths than Britain which has legalised abortion. Our maternity hospitals are by far the safest in the world for expectant mothers. (UNICEF, State of the World's Children Report, 1993.)
Of 364,000 births in a ten-year period, the three main Dublin maternity hospitals recorded six deaths of pregnant patients from heart disease. Pregnancy did not worsen their worsen their condition and the availability of abortion would not have helped even one mother!
The Abortion Industry: You pay cash and they get rid of the baby
It is disturbing that some people hold it to be OK in some circumstances to sanction the killing of innocent human beings as a solution to admittedly difficult personal problems. Abortion kills babies and in doing so does irreparable damage to women.
One of the most frightening things about the abortion industry worldwide has been the heartless manner in which they have sought to cash in on desperate situations in which these women find themselves. Given that the industry is relentless in its efforts to exploit difficult circumstances for profit that every mother and child be afforded the fullest protection, compassion and resources of the State.
Why should I oppose abortion
This is the question we have to ask ourselves. To oppose abortion is noble and just. Abortion is nothing more than a direct attack n the life of a human being in a most violent way. A civilised people is judged by the way it protects the rights of its weakest members & the disabled, the sick, the old and the unborn. There is none so weak and defenceless as an unborn baby.
Just because the killing takes place behind closed doors and the victim cannot raise her voice in protest, does not change the fact that a serious injustice is occurring: the taking of an innocent life. To oppose abortion reflects one's support for the most fundamental of human rights. It is a positive stance that cares for both mother and child.
People oppose abortion for a variety of reasons. These include philosophical, ethical, social, legal, medical and religious. Others support the life position because they have endured post-abortion trauma and have seen through the pro-abortion propaganda of deceit. For many it is not an issue of religious persuasion or political belief but an instinctive understanding that killing unborn babies is wrong. Before the Peace Process there was certainly one issue nationalists and unionists had always agreed upon in Northern Ireland and that is the vital importance of protecting the life of the unborn.
But what about choice?
We need to be reminded that every time an abortion takes place a human being is killed. No one more innocent can be imagined than an unborn baby. She is weak and defenceless.
Most abortions take place after the tenth week. At this stage the baby's body functions are well developed; heartbeat and brainwaves function, and even fingerprints are formed. The baby can feel pain. Unborn babies are totally dependent on our protection and care.
Nothing can ever justify the deliberate killing of an innocent human being. There is no such right as a 'right to choose' to kill an innocent human being.
This is a basic ethical principle shared by all cultures and civilisations. If we had a 'right to kill' would not murder be excused as someone's 'right to choose'.
The most fundamental human right is the right to life. An amendment will protect and value human life by restoring constitutional protection to unborn babies and their mothers.
One of the approaches proposed by the All Party Report Recommendations (No 3), reads: '-. legislate to protect best medical practice, while providing for a prohibition on abortion, and consequently accommodating such legislation by referendum to amend the Constitution.' And this is what we have with this amendment - the opportunity to protect best medical practice for women and to safeguard the lives of unborn babies.
What do we believe in?
The well-known writer and commentator, Patricia Redlich writing in the Sunday Independent (November 25, 2001), has this to say: 'whether we like it or not, the Act has to do with our system of values.' For her, the debate is about what we believe in. At a moment in history when science is involved in creating not just designer babies, but using human beings as a source of spare parts, the questions about the meaning of life is not only relevant but essential.
The questions are both simple and profound. Exactly what weight do we give to the life that has started when faced with the myriad of dilemmas that pregnant women may face with unwanted pregnancies.
For information on abortion facts:
www.abortionfacts.com.