I have had countless sessions of counselling, relying heavily on Medicare's Mental Health Plan - thousands of dollars wasted - courtesy of the Australian taxpayer. This grief could have been avoided if someone had approached me with support. Back then, I was not aware that there were alternatives to abortion. I was not aware that I would suffer so much regret and psychological pain from the abortion. The fertility clinic NEVER discussed consequences of the abortion and NEVER discussed alternatives to abortion.
If I had encountered a sidewalk counsellor, they may have helped me work through why I wanted an abortion, to consider alternatives, to help me understand the detrimental physical and psychological impact of abortion. I didn’t know that it could lead to infertility and death. I didn’t know I would be 6 times more likely to get breast cancer. I didn’t know that although abortion is legal, it is certainly not safe - even now in the 21st century, many women still die. [See here and here and here.] I didn’t know that pro-lifers could provide emotional support, accommodation, baby furniture, babysitting (so that the mother could return to her studies or to work), clothing, nappies and food to support mothers, babies and their other children. The Helpers could have hidden me in a secret location until I had my baby if I didn’t want my friends & family to find out.
Would I have gone ahead with the abortion if I had received such support? Absolutely NOT!
My body, my choice, my rights?
At no time, I did I even consider my baby’s rights. Nobody tried to tell me to look at it from my baby’s point of view. What about my baby’s body? What about his choices? What about his rights? This year, my baby would have been 26 years old. As far as I know, he was perfectly healthy. He could have followed in his father’s footsteps and become a doctor, saving lives but instead, I never gave him a chance. Would I have gone ahead with the abortion if I was made to look at the life I was determined to destroy? Absolutely NOT! So, did I make an educated choice to have an abortion? No, I definitely did NOT. Did I give informed consent to have an abortion? No, I definitely did NOT. Fast forward 26 years later to today, I find that women are still not given factual information when it comes to abortion. Perhaps the outcome would have been different if I had encountered one of those sidewalk counsellors?
I'll never know. Instead, I am left to live my life in regret. Please oppose bubble-zone legislation.
Please let sidewalk counsellors give women who seek abortions the chance to make an informed choice. Further Reading: To learn more about post-abortion grief, click here: To learn more about safe-access zones (bubble zones), click here: To learn about why women choose abortion, click here: To read more stories like this one, click here:
