Pro Life Campaign considering legal action against Midland Health Board

national | rights, freedoms and repression | news report Sunday December 14, 2003 15:28 by niav - alliance for choice

Report about the pregnant 14 year old girl in the care of the Midland Health Board who may be prevented from travelling to the UK by the Pro-Life Campaign who are considering legal action against the MHB.

This week two very different young Irish women have made the headlines. One of these women, Rosanna Davidson, was this week crowned Miss World. Mirroring one of my favorite episodes of Father Ted, Rosanna is now apparently the world’s loveliest girl! However, the other young woman that has received much media attention remains nameless. This young 14-year-old girl is 22 weeks pregnant and is in the care of the Midland Health Board (MHB). This week, the Pro-Life Campaign shouted ‘Down with this sort of thing!’ as it announced that it was considering legal action against the MHB if it decides to take this young girl to Britain for an abortion.

While under the care of the MHB, the girl in question was sent to a care facility in the UK because there was no suitable place for her in Ireland. While in the UK, at the age of 13, she became pregnant. There are unconfirmed allegations of rape regarding the young girl’s pregnancy. Now aged 14, she is currently in Ireland and remains in the care of MHB. This girl wants to have an abortion. As far as I’m aware, a psychiatrist has interviewed her and has recommended that it is in the girl’s best interest to terminate the pregnancy. Because a pregnant woman has to live with the consequences of her decision – whether she chooses to terminate the pregnancy or not – I believe she must be allowed to make the choice that she feels is best for her. This young girl is the only person that knows her own capabilities and her own feelings and in this case is better placed than you or me to make a decision that will dramatically affect the rest of her life.

However, the Pro-Life Campaign and Youth Defense are simply disregarding the decision of this 14-year-old girl and instead of respecting the girl’s right to choice they are seeking to interfere and prevent her from traveling to the UK. The PLC claim that there is likely to be emotional and psychological consequences for this girl if she has an abortion, yet they fail to address the very real emotional and stressful situation this young girl is currently in, let alone the consequences of forcing her to have a baby against her will.

In 1992, the Travel and Information referenda were passed – Article 40.3.3 of the Irish Constitution allows for Irish women to travel to another State for the purposes of an abortion. However, the authorities of Health Boards have to obtain a court order in the District Court if a teenage girl in their care is to have an abortion abroad. A number of Health Boards have applied and obtained orders to allow teenage girls in their care to have abortions.

The fact that she is 22 weeks pregnant has resulted in the question of viability. This is a grey area and late term abortions create a huge amount of controversy. Statistics from the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) from 2000 illustrate how almost 90% of all abortions in England and Wales take place in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy (154,908). Only 1.5% of terminations in 2000 were late term abortions (taking place after 20 weeks). The 1967 Abortion Act in the UK allows abortions up to 24 weeks. However, for Irish women, abortions after 12 weeks are common especially considering the many obstacles they face. While we have the legal right to travel, the 1995 Information Act severely restricts information about abortion services in the UK. Information is only legally available through face-to-face counseling sessions. The Crisis Pregnancy Agency are currently engaged in the nationwide ‘Positive Options’ campaign that tells us in bus shelters and in television adverts that ‘the positive way to deal with a crisis, is to consider your options’. However, only 3 of the 6 organisations listed by the CPA will provide Irish women with information about all their options – adoption, abortion and parenting. Non-directive counseling is only offered by Cherish, the Dublin Well Woman Clinic and the Irish Family Planning Association. Even, if her health is at risk, a doctor cannot refer a woman to a clinic because this is illegal! Next, women have to book an appointment and make travel and accommodation arrangements. This will cost approximately 1000 euros. Raising this money can take time especially for students and those in low paid jobs.

The mother of the girl has asked the Pro Life Campaign not to turn her daughter into ‘a political football’. Obviously, not content with having Dana on the TV during the recent stem cell debate, they are seeking to make political capital out of what must be an incredibly stressful and emotional situation for this anonymous girl. The decision to have an abortion is an incredibly difficult decision to make – imagine making it and having it publicised on the front page of newspapers. Abortion is very much a reality for Irish women. 19 women a day leave the country to terminate a pregnancy. We don’t read about their journey but no doubt we’re going to hear all about what Miss World does over the next 12 months.

[This is a personal report but for more info about pro-choice activities in Ireland keep an eye on the Event Calendar or you can contact Alliance For Choice on 085 723 2026 (voicemail)
Alliance for Choice is a diverse group of pro-choice activists who are campaigning for free, safe and legal abortion in Ireland]