Displaying items by tag: Reproductive Coercion

On 12^th September Dr Carol Portman, one of Queensland’s only later term abortion providers spoke at a Committee Hearing for the Termination of Pregnancy Bill.  When asked if she had ever experienced a woman attending for termination who may be experiencing her coercion, her response revealed all that typifies abortion discourse.  A discourse that upholds the concept of ‘abortion rights’ above all else, even a woman’s right to be free from coercion, to be entitled to the highest standards of ethical medical care and the right to say ‘no’.

When we allow dominant discourses based on misinformation to drive legislative change, nobody wins. Abortion advocates in Queensland are again pushing for decriminalisation based on a lot of myth and very little fact.  The way in which the media allows this inaccurate portrayal of abortion is a sign of how low we’ve sunk in completely dismissing the evidence and the actual experiences of women. This article highlights a few of the very misleading tactics of the pro-abortion lobby in pushing an agenda that doesn’t serve the needs of women at all.  

This is the second part of a briefing paper prepared by Debbie Garratt of Real Choices Australia. The first part critiques a recently-released draft White Paper from Marie Stopes Australia, which deals with the topic of Reproductive Coercion. Click here to read part 1. The majority (>95%) of terminations in Australia occur for psychosocial reasons including not having enough resources, whether financial or material, not feeling able to cope with a baby due to age or lack of support, fears about the impact of pregnancy and parenting on other life choices, as well as consideration for the needs of other people a woman cares for.

This is the first part of a briefing paper by Debbie Garratt, of Real Choices Australia, on the topic of reproductive coercion. This article critiques a draft White Paper by Marie Stopes on reproductive coercion, while the second article examines the society's many subtle and coercive influences on pregnant women. Click here to read part 2.   Marie Stopes, one of Australia’s biggest abortion providers recently released a draft White Paper entitled Hidden Forces: Shining a Light on Reproductive Coercion.