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Press release: Large numbers protest forced abortion decision outside Parliament, calling on Govt to ensure never happens again

PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HIGH-RES PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT ARE AVAILABLE FOR MEDIA USE HERE: https://www.flickr.com/photos/150850874@N02/albums/72157709251313778 

Large numbers protest forced abortion decision outside Parliament, calling on Govt to ensure never happens again 

25 June 2019 – This evening, a Stand With Her demonstration was held outside Parliament in response to a ruling made last Friday 21st June where Justice Nathalie Lieven ordered that a woman with a learning disability who was 22 weeks pregnant must have an abortion against her will.

The demonstration outside Parliament was held to: 

  • Show our solidarity with this woman, her baby and her wider family who have had to go through this terrible ordeal.
  • Stand in solidarity with all women who have been forced into an abortion in the UK, as unfortunately it likely that this is not a one-off case – and we will be calling on the Department of Health to urgently reveal how many women have been forced by a hospital to have an abortion against their will in the UK and make it clear how they will ensure no women and family will ever have to go through this again.

Yesterday, after an appeal was brought forward, the original ruling was overturned when three Court of Appeal judges ruled that doctors must not perform an abortion on the woman with a learning disability. This is an absolutely brilliant outcome for the mother, her baby and their extended family.

However, this horrific original ruling should never have happened in the first place. It is totally unacceptable that a mother had to go to the Court of Appeal to stop the state forcing a late-term abortion on her daughter. We must ensure that no women and family will ever have to go through this again. 

Speaking at the event, Emmi Egbonou, said: 

“What is shocking is that this was ever allowed to happen in the first place. The fact that the state can force a late-term abortion on a woman who did not want one is not the kind of state we want to live in. The fact that a judge could make a ruling to force an abortion on a vulnerable woman without her consent is a betrayal of the justice system and betrayal of the most vulnerable in our society. 

A forced late-term abortion would have been an irreversible trauma on the mother and would have ended the life of the baby that had been growing inside her womb for almost six months and, at 22 weeks, could survived outside the womb. 

We are here today to we stand with this woman. We stand with her baby. We stand with her family. We stand with every woman in the UK who has been forced by a hospital to abort their baby.

The Government must ensure no women and family will ever have to go through this again. We are here today to send a clear message to the Government. This must never happen again.”

Spokesperson for Right To Life UK, Clare McCarthy, said: 

“This is a very welcome decision that will save the life of the unborn child and the mother from a forced late-term abortion and much undue distress. However, the horrific original ruling should never have happened.

“Unfortunately, we fear that this is not a one-off case. We are calling on the Department of Health to urgently reveal how many women have been forced by a hospital to have an abortion against their will in the UK and make it clear how they will ensure it will not happen again.”

ENDS