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9th Jul 2019
When Alabama passed its anti-abortion law in May – 46 years after abortion was first legalised in the US, in 1973 – it sparked international outcry. The ban, which prevents abortion in nearly all cases, led to thousands of women sharing their abortion experiences on social media, using #YouKnowMe, a campaign launched by American actress Busy Philipps. “One in four women will have an abortion before age 45,” said Philipps on her late-night show. “Maybe you’re sitting there thinking, ‘I don’t know a woman who would have an abortion.’ Well, you know me.”
As Philipps highlights, this is a subject relevant to us all; regardless of age, geography or socio-economic context. Crucially, a woman’s fundamental right to choose is under attack, as pockets of political discourse seek to control women’s bodies and reproductive rights. scopes out the current status quo ahead of speaking to five women, from different pin-points of the world, about their unique abortion experiences.
The Status Quo of Abortion Globally
In some countries, women are bolstered by supportive networks, safe medical practice and social acceptance; in others abortion is stigmatised, difficult to access and dangerous to carry out. Abortion is still illegal in all circumstances in 26 countries – including Egypt, Iraq and the Philippines – and illegal in a further 39 countries – including Mexico, Brazil and Indonesia – unless a woman’s life is at risk. However, in countries where abortion is legal, such as Italy and South Africa, access is restricted and doctors can “conscientiously object” to performing the procedure. Far right parties in countries like Spain, meanwhile, are calling for abortion to be restricted.
Progress has been made elsewhere. Last year, Ireland voted to overturn its abortion ban; South Korea’s anti-abortion law was ruled unconstitutional in April; and campaigners in Argentina presented a new bill before Congress just last month to legalise abortion. The call to make abortion legal in Northern Ireland is also growing, thanks to the #nowforNI campaign.
In response, women are increasingly speaking out, sharing deeply personal experiences that convey just how important the right to choose is. Here, five women from around the world share their stories with
“I was certain of my decision to have an abortion. I [had to] travel to Manchester, England because the laws in Northern Ireland are so severely restricted. I didn’t realise until I went to access an abortion how restricted they are.
“When I went to the Family Planning Association to get information, there were three [anti-abortion] protestors. They said, ‘You know a woman your age could get breast cancer from having an abortion’. That’s not a protest in my view; that’s emotional manipulation and abuse.
“I opted for a surgical abortion because that meant I could come home the same day. But when I left the clinic and went to the airport, I started to cramp and became quite ill. It’s the same as travelling [after] having any medical procedure, but the difference was that I was being to travel.
“One thing will always stay with me: there was a woman at the clinic a couple of beds down. That night, she was on the same flight [back home]. She looked at me, and I looked at her, but we didn’t acknowledge each other. It was like we were both carrying the stigma.
“I had an abortion in what you would describe as the best of circumstances: a supportive partner, okay income. My abortion cost me around £1,000 ($1,270 USD) for the procedure, the flights and other travel arrangements. Now you can go to England and the procedure is free, but people still have to travel at their own cost.
“I have to be hopeful [the abortion law will change]. In the past two years there’s been an awakening. Abortion rights organisations like Alliance for Choice have creat[ed] space for women to talk about their abortion stories. I’ve found it much easier because of the solidarity I’ve found among [other] women.”
“I already had a 10-month-old baby when I found out I was pregnant. I discussed it with my husband and mother-in-law, and we decided we should go ahead with an abortion. [Though] my mother-in-law did say it would be okay to continue with the pregnancy, we wanted our baby to be a bit more independent before having a second child.
“My sister-in-law told me about a Family Planning Association of India clinic [a member of the International Planned Parenthood Federation] that provides good services and costs less than private providers; the procedure cost 1,000 rupees ($14 USD). My husband accompanied me on the first visit to the clinic when the procedure was explained to me in detail. The next day I went for a check-up and was given abortion pills under doctor supervision. I had a bit of discomfort and pain, and there was some bleeding, but the procedure went smoothly.
“Luckily in my case I did not face any stigma. But if you discuss abortion, people in the neighbourhood make comments like ‘You’re lucky for getting pregnant, people who have been trying for 10 years still don’t have a child’ or ‘If you don’t want to continue the pregnancy you should get divorced’.
“I’m glad women can access abortion in India. Whether we want to continue with the pregnancy or not, the choice is there. I want to share my experience, which has been a positive one, so others can learn from it.”
“It was my first pregnancy. We had a routine scan at the 20-week mark and discovered the [baby] had three cardiac malformations. The doctors were clear: the situation was very serious. the baby survived the birth, he would need a heart operation immediately, and further operations later in life that could leave him suffering brain damage.
“We didn’t really feel we were deciding to have an abortion; it was happening to us. I don’t want to minimise the fact that of course it’s a decision; I know other parents in the same situation or similar difficult condition decide to give birth to a child. But I wasn’t able to choose that for my child; I wasn’t even able to think about that.
“We live in Belgium, but we are Italians and my mother-in-law happens to be a gynaecologist, so we immediately decided to go back home. Our families are there and we wanted to be able to talk [to doctors] in our mother tongue. We were also going to get married in Italy three weeks later.
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“When we talk about abortions, it’s not just the law that’s important, it’s how it’s dealt with. A whole team of doctors accompanied us through the process, including a psychotherapist, explaining all the options. For me, this was crucial.
“The cut-off point for abortions in cases of serious foetal abnormality in Italy is considered to be up until around 23 weeks. In our case, it was okay; we discovered [the problem] in time. [But] in Italy, doctors can – and often do – conscientiously object to performing abortions.
“[Part of the law] that had a huge impact [on me] was that you have to sign a document where you say you’re having an abortion because [having] the child would damage you as a woman, physically or psychologically. That was not my case; I had other reasons. They make you [sign it] when you’re already suffering and in pain.
“Abortion – whether you decide to abort or not – is a life-changing experience. If you have an abortion, you will remember it all your life, even if you don’t regret it, as is our case. And if you don’t [have an abortion] when you need it, you would also have to live with that decision for the rest of your and your child’s life. Every woman around the world should have the right to an abortion.”
“I was at university when I got pregnant. My boyfriend and I had unprotected sex and it was scary because I was not ready to have a baby; I had other plans for life. I decided to have an abortion.
“I was ashamed to go to a healthcare centre in person to ask for information, so I made a phone call instead, pretending I was enquiring for my cousin. They were reluctant, saying, ‘No this is crazy, your cousin shouldn’t [have an abortion]’. I knew I had to find a way, so I called my cousin, who knew a woman, who knew a woman, who knew a woman [who’d had an abortion]. I realised that this was a secret between women.
“I found a clinic and went there with my boyfriend. He paid for the abortion; it cost $350 USD so I couldn’t pay for it myself. I didn’t feel safe at all; the clinic was dirty and I was afraid of asking too many questions. I realised afterwards I could have died during the procedure. I was under general anaesthetic, and there was a complication where my dental filling came loose and I began choking on it. I had a lot of bleeding for two days after the procedure, but I didn’t want to go back to the doctor. I was dealing with this guilt, and felt like I deserved the pain and suffering because I had done something wrong.
“The biggest impact has been psychological; [it comes from] living in a very religious country where abortion is illegal. I couldn’t talk to my mother about it. She is a single mother and I didn’t want to let her down, especially in a country where they say, ‘If you’re a single mother, your daughter’s going to do the same’.
“It’s been 26 years but the situation here [regarding abortions] is the same. How is that possible? There are still teenagers getting pregnant and feeling the same fear I felt. I want to share my story so something good comes out of my experience.”
“I already had two children when I decided to have the abortion. My youngest was seven months at the time; I decided he was too young for me to have another child. It was also partly for financial reasons because I have a business to take care of; I’m a seamstress. I discussed it with my husband and my mother, [and] they supported my decision.
“I found out about the Marie Stopes clinic years ago when the village chief was giving out flyers about it. I was nervous going in because I didn’t know what was going to happen. But I didn’t have any side effects or any complications.
“It was easy for me to access the services; the clinic is five minutes by bike from my house. That was very important because otherwise I would have had to ask around to see where I could get an abortion. It cost 200,000 riel ($50 USD) for the abortion and to have a contraceptive implant.
“People don’t really talk about abortion here. I think it’s important to share my story because it will help other women who are in the same situation. It will help them understand that they have choices and that the choices are okay.”