Choice Ireland

We've moved!

2008-10-08T15:16:00.000Z

Choice Ireland now has a "proper" website at www.choiceireland.org

Hope to see you there!

Debunking Myths about Abortion and Sex Education

2008-09-17T11:58:00.003Z

Reproductive Health Reality Check has produced a series of videos dedicated towards debunking myths about reproductive choices and sex education. These videos take the format of a debate, providing arguments against reproductive rights and contraception access, which are then debunked with evidence.

We have posted them below for your convenience. Please note that figures quoted come from studies conducted, for the most part, in the United States.

This video deals with the issue of contraception access for youth, and the provision of it in schools:

RH Reality Check: Contraception Access For Youth from RH Reality Check on Vimeo.

The second video deals with the different kinds of pills used for reproductive choices, and clearly defines the difference between the contraceptive pill, the morning after pill, and RU486:

RH Reality Check: Emergency Contraception Vs. Abortion from RH Reality Check on Vimeo.

The video below deals with the debate between abstinence-only and comprehensive programmes of sex education:

RH Reality Check: Abstinence-Only Vs. Comprehensive Sex Education from RH Reality Check on Vimeo.

Finally, the video below deals with the argument that life begins at conception, explaining how this is an unscientific view:

RH Reality Check: Does Personhood Start At Fertilization? from RH Reality Check on Vimeo.

Choie Ireland Social

2008-09-09T12:59:00.001Z

Choice Ireland invite all pro-choice people to come along to a social event. It takes place 7-10pm, Fri 26th Sept in the Teacher's club, 36 Parnell Sq. West, Dublin 1.

With:
* A screening of a short film with footage and interviews from a recent action at the rogue pregnancy counselling agency on Dorset St.
* Photos, info and leaflets about the rogue agency campaign and other Choice Ireland activities.
* Info on how to get involved and what you can do yourself to become actively pro-choice.
* Raffle/ chance to make a donation to help out with campaigns.
* Chance to chat and share ideas with other pro-choice people.
* Stickers, Badges and suprises.
* Wine and juice provided.

Hope to see you there!

ps - email us at choiceireland AT gmail.com if you want to donate anything else to the raffle

Human Rights Watch Report

2008-08-24T18:19:00.000Z

Human Rights Watch are this year mounting a major inquiry into how women's human rights are being violated by the current legal situation regarding access to abortion in Ireland.

The following email is a request for women to share their personal experiences with HRW (in absolute confidentiality) for their report. Please pass it along to anyone you think might be able to help.

------------ --------- --------- --------- -

Human Rights Watch are doing a country report on Ireland on the harm that the ban on abortion does to Irish women. I along with Marianne Mollmann will be in Ireland from August 25th-29th doing fieldwork. I am also available in London to do phone interviews and background research from August 20th. I have already done fieldwork in the UK with abortion service providers on the experience of Irish women travelling to Britain to obtain an abortion.

If you might be in a position to help Human Rights Watch with this ground breaking report, you can contact me by phone at the number below from August 20th or email hrwireland@gmail. com

We are particularly interested in interviewing women who have had to travel to obtain an abortion. Confidentiality and anonymity are guaranteed to all women who may wish to be interviewed. During the week of 25 August, our priority will be to interview women about their experiences – and would ideally like to interview the following categories of women:

Women with fetal abnormalities pregnancies
Adolescents
Rape survivors
Immigrant women
Traveller women

We are also interested in interviewing any woman who has had to travel for an abortion on their experiences. We would also like to be able to access any women who were not able to travel and who therefore continued with the pregnancies? I am not sure how easy it would be access this group and whether they would be willing to talk to us?

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Liesl Gerntholtz.

Liesl Gerntholtz

Director, Women's Rights Division

Human Rights Watch

2-12 Pentonville Road

London N1 9HP

United Kingdom

+44 (0)207 713 1995 (general)

+44 (0)207 713 2796 (direct line)

Rogue agency forced to change name

2008-08-20T12:58:00.000Z

Rogue crisis pregnancy agency the "Women's Resource Centre" has been forced to change its name following a sustained campaign by Choice Ireland.

It has emerged that the rogue crisis pregnancy agency the "Women's Resource Centre" has taken out full-page ads in the new issue of the Golden Pages under the new name "Abbey Counselling Centre". The agency, previously known as "Alpha" and "British Alternatives Pregnancy Service", has been forced to change its name several times following exposures of unethical activity, provision of false medical information and intimidation of women seeking information on abortion services. The agency, then known as the "Aadams Agency", was also named at the centre of an illegal adoption scandal in 1999.

The change in name comes in the wake of a one-month series of demonstrations mounted by Choice Ireland highlighting the activities of the agency, which operates from its base on 50 Upper Dorset Street. The agency also operates a number of "outreach" centres from private homes around Ireland.

Commenting, spokesperson Niav Keating said, "The Abbey Counselling Centre is a new cover; however, the number advertised is that of the Women's Resource Centre. While we can work to expose this agency and its practices each time they reinvent themselves, it is clear that regulations need to be set down to ensure that crisis pregnancy counselling is carried out in an ethical, honest and compassionate way."

In a further comment, spokesperson Sinead Ahern added, "We hope that our upcoming hearing with the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health will further the development of legislation governing the operation of crisis pregnancy agencies. This would close the legal loophole which allows these agencies to traumatise women facing a crisis pregnancy."

This evidence of the continued operation of these "rogue" crisis pregnancy agencies closely follows the recent publication of the Commission on Patient Safety report recommending a licensing system for all healthcare providers. Minister for Health Mary Harney has failed to address the issue of rogue crisis pregnancy agencies.

Photos from Saturday 16 July outside WRC

2008-07-30T19:17:00.002Z

On Saturday, around 50 people gathered outside the WRC to show their support for the ongoing campaign to shut this agency down, and to regulate for all crisis pregnancy counselling. Thanks to all who came along, and to Bríd and Andrew for photos.

Choice Ireland Calls on all Organisations and Individuals to Join the Big Demo Against the WRC

2008-07-23T20:28:00.002Z

Choice Ireland is finishing a month of action against the rogue pregnancy counselling agency the WRC this Saturday. Choice Ireland has undertaken this month of action to raise local awareness about the operation of the clinic in the area and to generate support for our upcoming Oireachtas hearing where we will argue that legislation should be introduced to shut down rogue agencies. Choice Ireland therefore asks all like minded organisations to come and show their support for our campaign to shut down the WRC this Saturday at 1pm at number 50 Upper Dorset Street. Bring your banners and flags!

More info below.

Month of Action against Rogue Agency

2008-07-04T11:16:00.000Z

Choice Ireland believes that vulnerable women in crisis pregnancies deserve help and support in coming to terms with the difficult choices they face in their situation – not the lies, bullying, and manipulation of the WRC. For this reason we are campaigning to have this rogue agency shut down and as part of this campaign we will be maintaining a presence outside it every Saturday this month of July. So starting this Saturday at 1pm we will be protesting outside the WRC. This protest raises awareness about the WRC's activities and prevents them from traumatising more women for as long as we are there. Choice Ireland is preparing for an oireachtas committee meeting to have rogues agencies like this regulated and we will be collecting signatures for a petition to support this. We hope that you can offer us your support and help spread the word about what is going on. If you can't make it this Saturday then come along next Saturday or make a special effort to get to our big demo on Saturday the 26th of July.

Some Background information:

A rogue agency is a fraudulent pregnancy counselling service set up with the sole aim of taking advantage of the vulnerability of women experiencing a crisis pregnancy in order to bully them out of considering the possibility of abortion.

The WRC is located at number 50 on Upper Dorset Street. The sign above the door reads “WRC” but this rogue agency has many aliases. It was known as “Aadams” from 1995 until 1999 when that incarnation was shut down in the midst of an illegal adoption scandal. It reopened as the “Women's Counselling Network” and was more recently calling itself “Alpha” until a Newstalk exposé led it to change its name once more to the “WRC”. This agency is also known to misleadingly advertise in the yellow pages as “British Alternative Pregnancy Services” and “Choice for Women” in order to give the false impression that they will discuss all the options available to women in crisis pregnancy when they have no intention of doing so.

The agency uses many names because it has a lot to hide. This agency specialises in traumatising vulnerable women. They give medically incorrect information to women about abortion, stating that abortion causes breast cancer, child abuse, depression, fridgitity, promiscuity and infertility. They also have told women that have been raped that it is impossible to become pregnant from rape. None of this is true and the only reason they tell women these lies is to try to impede their abilitiy to make an informed decision. They have also been known to breach the confidentiality of people seeking counselling – informing family members without consent that a woman is pregnant and may be considering an abortion, giving a woman's contact details to priests, and posing as a boyfriend to try and persuade a clinic to cancel an appointment for abortion.

The agency promises women that they will be given contact details for abortion clinics in England as soon as they have had an unnecessary and expensive ultrasound at a private clinic that may take several weeks to procure. When the woman returns with her ultrasound scans the clinic then uses the images to try and talk her out of her decision once more. The reason they engage in such a tactic is to try and cause a woman additional delay and expense in the hope that this will prevent her from being able to procure an abortion.

Choice Ireland calls on Government to stop criminalising women who have abortions

2008-05-23T13:05:00.001Z

Following the inquest into a backstreet abortion procured by a Filipino woman in July 2004, Choice Ireland are tonight calling on the Government to
address the issue of abortion rights for women in Ireland. A woman
can be jailed for life if she has an abortion in Ireland, but, if she
can afford to travel, she can avail of a termination outside the
State.

Commenting spokesperson Niav Keating said "In 2004, the government
ruled out any review of current abortion legislation despite media
coverage of two illegal back-street abortions that had taken place in
Dublin that summer. In April 2008, the Council of Europe called on
Ireland to decriminalise abortion and warned that Ireland's abortion
ban does not result in fewer abortions but instead means women have no
choice but to undergo traumatic backstreet abortions."

Commenting spokesperson Sinead Ahearn said "It's time for the
government to stop ignoring the plight of women who cannot travel
outside this State to procure a termination. It's time for free, safe
and legal abortion services to be introduced in Ireland"

Quotes End.

Notes

Back street abortions are not a new phenomenon in Ireland and between
1926 and 1974 there were at least 58 recorded prosecutions under the
1861 Offences against the Persons Act. However, since the 1967
Abortion Act in Britain, back street abortion had ceased to be a major
problem in Ireland as many Irish women travelled to the UK to
terminate a pregnancy. Since 1967, 5 women are known to have died
from back street abortions in Northern Ireland.

A report published in the medical journal, The Lancet, last year
concluded that there is little difference in abortion rate worldwide
regardless of whether the procedure is legal or illegal. The report
referred to is "Induced abortion: estimated rates and trends
worldwide" by Gilda Sedgh, Stanley Henshaw, Susheela Singh, Elizabeth
Ahman and Iqbal H. Shah. It is published in the current issue of 'The
Lancet' (Volume 370, Number 9595). It can be accessed online
www.thelancet.com

Choice Ireland is a diverse group of Pro-Choice activists campaigning
for free, safe and legal abortion services in Ireland.

Choice Ireland welcomes UK Parliament's vote to maintain 24 week time limit on abortion.

2008-05-21T07:48:00.000Z

Pro-choice activists, Choice Ireland, have tonight welcomed the UK Parliament's decision to maintain the 24 week time limit on abortion. Efforts to reduce the upper time limits for abortions have been overwhelmingly rejected by MPs.

Several peer reviewed studies have demonstrated that survival rates below 24 weeks gestation have not changed since 1990 when the abortion legislation in the UK was last reviewed.

Commenting spokesperson Sinead Ahern says "only a very small proportion of terminations are carried out after 20 weeks (1.45%). The women who seek these late stage terminations tend to be the most vulnerable of women in particular those carrying foetuses with severe genetic abnormalities. Restricting time limits on abortion would not remove the need for the procedure and would only affect women in difficult positions”.

"This issue is especially important to Irish women" continues spokesperson Niav Keating. "Irish women, due to the delays associated with travelling outside the State, are more likely to have later terminations than their British counterparts. We are delighted that the 24 week time limit will remain in the UK but we renew our call for the Irish government to introduce free, safe and legal abortion services".

Quotes End.

Report from Feminist Walking Tour

2008-04-06T19:24:00.000Z

At half past two on a crisp, sunny Saturday, over 140 people, of all ages, gathered at St Stephen’s Green front arch – exceeding all expectations – to attend the a Feminist Walking Tour marking International Women's Day.

Organisers with red screen-printed t-shirts (the image showing a high heel shoe and a boot – ready for walking!) mingled with the eager crowd, chatting, handing out information booklets, distributing green and purple suffragette ribbons and stickers to organise people into the two tours. There were activity sheets for the kids (and the big kids) and free lollipops for all!

The tour was organised by Choice Ireland and RAG, who came together to share their expertise and enthusiasm to promote a strong feminist message. “We didn’t want a protest march,” says one tour organiser, “but the walking tour was a fun way to get women out on the streets and celebrating feminism”.

The tour guides for the day were Carol Hunt – a history graduate and veteran tour guide – and Sinead Ahern, one of Choice Ireland’s finest spokespeople. Carol joked that she used to run a women’s history walking tour around Dublin, but that it was often not that well attended by men – until she changed the tour’s name to “A Sexual History of Dublin.” Same tour – different name – far better male attendance!

The tour meandered across town, tracing women’s history in the city – from the Brehon Laws, to the Ladies Land League of the 1880’s, through the suffragette movement, the women involved in workers and republican struggles, to the radical feminist movement of the 1970’s and the anti- domestic and sexual violence movements to present-day pro choice struggles.

There were also a number of guest speakers along the route. Edel Cribbin, of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre spoke about the organisation, its vital role, its lack of funding and reliance on volunteers. A community development worker, Amel Yacef, spoke about the particular difficulties facing migrant women in Ireland. Alan Mc Simoin, who was involved in the Contraception Action Programme in the 1970’s and is still active in pro-choice campaigning today, spoke about the X-case and the thousands of people who came out on the streets to support Miss X in 1992.

Helen Keyes from Choice Ireland spoke outside the “rogue” pregnancy-counselling agency on Dorset St. The so-called Women’s Resource Centre (WRC) is a fundamentalist Christian front which advertises, falsely claiming to provide information on all crisis-pregnancy options. However, once inside, it subjects vulnerable women to extreme anti-abortion propaganda. It was the existence of this agency and the fact that pregnancy counselling still goes unregulated in Ireland that first prompted Choice Ireland to form. Helen described how members of the group visited the agency to investigate what was really happening inside the WRC – even going as far as to source “pregnant pee” and conceal it on their persons! As she spoke during the tour on Saturday, a potato was thrown from a third floor window of the building, injuring one woman. The tour hastily reconvened around the corner, a safe distance from the WRC.

At the end of the tour, happy hungry walkers were invited back to the Teacher’s Club on Parnell Square, where free soup and sandwiches were well received by all. Two short, recently-made, feminist films were shown. These were “The Future of Feminism” by Cara Holmes and Breaking the Silence” by Katie Gillum – who also filmed the walking tour for Dublin Community Television. RAG had their distribution table at the back of the room selling their magazine as well as books, zines, moon cups, badges and more. There was information and leaflets from Choice Ireland. There was also music from the extremely talented young singer-songwriter duo Heathers.

There was a fun atmosphere with lots of lively discussion and reflection on the day. People chatted, old friends met and new ones were made. There was some struggling over dot-to-dot puzzles and word-searches from the kid’s activity sheet (though not only from the kids!) In the corner, some organisers were counting up donations to see if they had covered their costs. “We’re not sure,” one said, “the printing is the biggest cost, we don’t know exactly how much it will be yet, so we’ll see what happens!”

The booklet printed for the day is attractive and well put together - a mine of information to take away from the event. Its 24 colour pages include an introduction, map and background information on all the stops on the route; further sites of interest are also marked around the city. The booklet is interspersed with remarkable facts and stories of Irish women’s struggle down through the years. A listing of women’s and feminist organisations of interest are provided in the back pages. If you didn’t make the tour, but would like a copy of the booklet please email to request a copy: feministwalkingtour AT yahoo.ie. Information on the organisers is available at www.choiceireland.blogspot.com and www.ragdublin.blogspot.com.

The Walking Tour organisers would like to express their sincere thanks to everyone who came along and helped make the event such a great success.

Choice Ireland is a pro-choice group formed in 2007 with an explicitly feminist agenda. “Feminism is the focus which keeps the group on track,” says one member, “and the reason why we are fighting.” RAG is an anarcha-feminist group, formed two years ago, which publishes an annual magazine, “the Rag” and holds regular open discussions and workshops.

International Women's Day

2008-03-05T02:35:00.005Z

Press Release for the Feminist Walking Tour of Dublin.

This year feminists in Dublin will be celebrating International Women’s Day, 8th March 2008, by taking to the streets for a Walking Tour of Dublin. This guided walk will visit several sites relevant to the history of Irish women. This entertaining and educational tour will begin at St Stephen’s Green Arch at 14:30 on Saturday, 8th March and will last approximately two hours.

The walking tour has been organised by Choice Ireland in association with the RAG collective and other women's groups and individuals. An information booklet and map has been produced to accompany the walk. The walking tour will be followed by a social event in the Teachers Club, 36 Parnell Square, Dublin 1.

Commenting Niav Keating said:

“From the Monto to the Magdalene laundries, the tour will bring the sexual history of Irish women to life. We are delighted to have Carol Hunt conducting the tour. The aim of the tour is highlight the many achievements of the women’s movement in Ireland. However, we still have a long way to go”.

Niav Keating added:

“In 2008, women are told that they are equal to men and that there is no longer a need for feminism. However, thirty years after equal pay legislation women earn on average 11% less than men. Ireland has one of the worst parliamentary gender balances in the democratic world. Currently, only 22 of the 166 TDs in Leinster House are women. Ireland also has one of the most draconian abortion laws in Europe”.
Quotes end.

Choice Ireland is a diverse group of Pro-Choice activists campaigning for free, safe and legal abortion services in Ireland. The RAG is a magazine published annually by an anarchafeminist group based in Dublin.

Related Link: http://www.choiceireland.blogspot.com
Related Link: http://www.ragdublin.blogspot.com

ENDS

Further details here: http://choiceireland.blogspot.com/2008/01/feminist-walking-tour-march-8th.html

After-event will take place in the Teacher's Club, Parnell Sq at 5pm. With soup (for hungry walkers!), information table/RAG distro, screening of a short film "The Future of Feminism" by Cara Holmes, and music from Heathers (www.myspace.com/heatherswhatsyourdamage)

If you can't make it on the day, email feministwalkingtour AT yahoo.ie for pdf or hard copy of the (beautiful, informative and free!) booklet to do it yourself.

Happy St Brigid's Day – Ireland's first abortionist

2008-02-01T15:30:00.000Z

Ireland's only female patron saint, Brigid of Kildare, celebrates her feast day today, February 1st. A date that is traditionally the first day of spring, and chosen presumably because of the associations St Brigid has with fertility. She was a conglomeration of the pre-Christian goddesses that preceded her – a Celtic figure appropriated by the Church to boost pagan conversion. She was subsequently ousted in favour of the patriarchal figure of St Patrick and the impossible virgin-mother Mary.

While many will know that Brigid is a patron of healing, fertility and learning, the Church are not so quick to tell us she was in fact Ireland's first recorded abortionist. In 650 AD a biographer of Brigid, Cogitosus, told the story of a young woman who had broken her vow of chastity and fell pregnant as a result. The young woman went to see Brigid, who took care of the problem:

Brigid, exercising with the most strength of her ineffable faith, blessed her, caused the fetus to disappear without coming to birth, and without pain.

Today, of course, Brigid would be excommunicated for this 'miracle', which explains why this particular biographical sketch does not appear in any of the annals of history sanctioned by the Church. It is well documented in detail in the original writings of Cogitosus and yet it conveniently remains absent from modern translations. In the 7th century, Brigid performed an abortion on a young woman. This was perfectly acceptable in the eyes of the Church then and her ability to 'cause the fetus to disappear' was considered nothing short of a miracle. If she lived today, Pope Benedict XVI would tell us that she was 'co-operating in evil'. How times change.

Current Church teaching on this is a manifestation of patriarchy. Just as 'Saint Brigid' is an embodiment of goddesses past, the story of her kindness in helping another woman reflects what women have been doing for each other since time began – privately, and with love and consideration. A woman’s autonomy over her own life and body should not be crushed in order to achieve a moral or religious goal. This is something that Brigid herself acknowledged, and the Church would do well to remember - before labelling those who support the modern equivalent to the actions Brigid took as the 'gravest injustice'. It is time to take the rosaries away from ovaries and today remember just who St Brigid was – Ireland’s first abortionist.

Castlebar radio host supports rogue agencies

2008-01-25T12:02:00.000Z

In December of last year, Choice Ireland sent out a press release announcing our most recent protest against the rogue crisis pregnancy agency at 50 Upper Dorset Street in Dublin.

The Castlebar Community Radio host John Murphy replied to our press release describing our campaign as a "sinister and disgusting attack on counselling agencies who counsell [sic] in the saving of lives (mother and child)."

Mr Murphy subsequently refused a Choice Ireland spokesperson's offer to debate him on the issue on his radio programme, on the supposed grounds that the spokesperson was an "accessory to murder" and that the matter is therefore "sub-judice". Choice Ireland has copies of these emails, both of which were sent on a CRC FM email account.

Rural women are among those particularly affected by the taboo on abortion in this country. Castlebar is situated thirty minutes from Knock Airport where, over the past forty years, several thousand women have boarded flights to England for abortions. They have done so in silence and secrecy, their often-traumatic journey compounded by returning to the slander of "murderer" by people like Mr Murphy. It seems that he would wish to increase their psychological distress even further by subjecting them to the lies and manipulation of the so-called counselling agencies.

John Murphy's refusal to publicise the Choice Ireland statement or to allow an on-air debate on the issue belies the claim of his station to be community radio. A true community institution serves the entire population of its area. Women who have considered abortion in a crisis pregnancy situation represent a significant proportion of any community - more, undoubtedly, than Mr Murphy realises.

They deserve to have issues of concern to them acknowledged and discussed in an open, mature and realistic fashion - not hushed-up and censored because they challenge the narrow conservative views of their local radio talk show host.

Feminist Walking Tour - March 8th

2008-01-18T13:23:00.000Z

Celebrate International Women's Day

What? Feminist Walking Tour
When? IWD Sat March 8th, 2.30pm
Where? Meet at Stephen's Green Arch
Why? Education, Celebration, Visibility, Solidarity, Fun!

Celebrate International Women's Day by joining us on a Feminist Walking Tour of Dublin city centre. The tour is free (although donations welcome) and will last approx 2 hours. All are welcome to attend - no need to book. You are also invited to come along in your best drag/ feminist fancy dress! Meet on Sat March 8th at 2.30pm at the main entrance to Stephen's Green (opposite the shopping centre).

The tour will be an informative and entertaining take on women's history in Ireland - from the Brehon Laws, through women's role in the early formation of the state, labour movements, the resurgence of feminism in the 1970's, the movement against domestic/sexual violence, and the continuing struggle for reproductive rights. There will be a particular emphasis on the contemporary women's movement in its many guises and acknowledging the challenges facing all women, particularly those experiencing poverty or exclusion and women from minority ethnic communities.

An information booklet/map will be provided on the day (and an activity sheet to keep the younger feminists amused!)

The tour will be followed by a social event in the evening with music and fun! Further details to be confirmed.

For more information/ to help out, email feministwalkingtour@yahoo.ie

The tour is being organised by members of Choice Ireland in association with the RAG collective and other women's/feminist groups and individuals.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Women%27s_Day
http://www.nwci.ie/our_work/political_equality/international_women_s_day
http://www.internationalwomensday.com/

Close The Rogue Agency!

2007-12-13T14:18:00.001Z

Following several successful pickets at the rogue crisis pregnancy agency, an action will be held on Saturday 15 December at 1pm. The rogue agency is at 50 Upper Dorset Street.

The agency, called "Women's Resource Centre" and also using the name "British Alternatives Pregnancy Services", is advertised as a pregnancy counselling agency. It subjects women in crisis pregnancies to psychological manipulation, misleading and deliberately lying about pregnancy and abortion services to prevent women from travelling for abortion services. The lies they tell clients are designed to force women to feel guilt and shame for even considering abortion as an option.

Full Story:

Rogue Anti-Choice Agency, Dorset St. - A History of Lies and Deception
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/81414

Abortion in Argentina: From Catholic Hegemony to Practical Secularity

2007-10-15T10:13:00.000Z

Please note: This article was posted last week on Indymedia.ie. It can be found in that website at this location.

Ireland and Argentina share a host of historical similarities. Both nations emerged from colonial ruling through wars of independence, and found themselves subsequently undergoing tremendous social change. The main religious faith in both nations has been the Roman Catholic Church, and thus a conservative tradition has been followed in the two Republics. Moreover, there has been a recent upswing of neo-liberal economic policies, which were welcomed in the two countries after decades of stagnation. With these parallels in mind, it is important we consider the Argentinian case from the Irish perspective.

Among Latin American nations, The Republic of Argentina has not historically been a progressive state. It found itself at its most conservative 30 years ago, when under the grip of a brutal military dictatorship, which had the blessing of the local Catholic hierarchy.

In the aftermath of the dictatorship, millions still adhered to the faith, but just as many questioned whether the institution was divorced from the belief system. Priests who had attempted to protect people were ignored by the hierarchy, who ingratiated themselves with those in power, and collaborated with repressive activities. These situations, added to many notorious cases of sexual abuse within the clergy, fostered a situation that still exists today. According to Reader's Digest Argentina, very few people want to be ordained as priests, and while recent polls show 80% of Argentinians are baptized Catholics, only 18% of those admitted to attending mass regularly. The prevailing view, Reader's Digest quotes, is one of faith without institutionalisation. These events mirror, to a degree, the historical situation of Ireland and the Catholic Church, with mass attendance and ordination of priests equally in sharp decline.

It is unsurprising, then, that popular legislative proposals would occur at a time when the Church's power is in question. Argentina and Ireland both saw, firstly, a legalisation of divorce, the former ratified in 1987, the latter voted for in 1995 and enacted in 1997. Ever since then, the focus has shifted to other civil rights issues, including a woman’s right to choose.

During the 1990s, Argentina was ruled by a neoliberal strand of the Partido Justicialista, also known as the Peronist Party, presided by Carlos Saúl Menem. That government enacted economic policies very similar to those of present-day Ireland. Similarly to Ireland, the government aimed not to rock the boat too much with risky legislative moves. Hence, they provided assurances to the Holy See that abortion would not be legalised, going as far as declaring March 25th "Day of the Unborn Child". Subsequent governments didn't act on the issue. Although illegal, abortions were performed by physicians, under very restrictive circumstances, often requiring the patient to obtain a court order that would authorise the procedure. This was due to the unclear nature of the legislation in case of rape, or risk to the mother's life.

The election of Nestor Kirchner to the presidency in 2003 began a sweeping tide of reform, despite Kirchner's affiliation to the Peronist Party. In 2005, his appointed Health Minister, Ginés González García, declared his support for full legalisation of abortion, coupled with his endorsement of a programme of free sex education and contraception distribution. Moreover, 2005 also saw the appointment of the first female judge to the Supreme Court of Justice, Carmen Argibay, who has also stated her support for the legalisation of terminations within the Republic. In a recent response to attacks from the Catholic Church, who claimed there was "an uncontrolled rush for abortion", Minister González García stated:

"Intolerance has many ways of showing itself, and this is one of the worst kinds. It is against the law, as well as an attempt to force a person to be a mother, simply because some people consider their religious ideas must be shared by everyone." (Página/12 [1])

The current situation is one where the government is taking slow, careful steps, yet doing so with seeming certainty of purpose. Abortion remains illegal, but it is considered "non-punishable" in cases of rape, mental illness, or where the pregnant woman's life is in danger. The key difference with the Irish situation is that, while abortion is indeed legal for such cases unlike Argentina, the main regulator body for medical licenses regards abortion as malpractice. While President Kirchner has not condoned either side, many of his apointees are supporting a progressive pro-choice agenda. The government of the Province of Buenos Aires, the most populous area of the nation, has announced a plan to issue guidelines regarding terminations to doctors, clarifying requirements as well as proper procedures. The Ministry of Health, similarly, announced a programme of revision of the Penal Code, which will make the legal situation clear, and furthermore work towards the legalisation. (Pagina/12 [2])

These are first steps, and by no means final. The Catholic Hierarchy along with many other so-called pro-life organisations have mounted a legal defense against the legalisation of abortion, based on ideas of the right to life. Their main argument is that the Constitution defends the life of all Argentinians, including the unborn, and the Constitution supercedes the Penal Code. However, popular support for their side seems to be waning, as more and more personal stories reach the mass media, and suspicion is rampant regarding the institution of the Catholic Church. During a recent demonstration celebrating the "Day for the Decriminalization of Abortion", Vanina Biasi, of the Polo Obrero worker's rights group, stated:

"For the last 80 years, abortion has been allower partially in Argentina, and for the last five they have been persecuting women who seek non-punishable abortions, protected by law. Because of this, we demand the enforcement of the Penal Code, and the legalisation of this medical practice." (Pagina/12 [3])

It is important, then, to remember that the struggle to recognise a woman’s right to choose is still ongoing in Argentina, despite positive developments. A woman seeking an abortion will usually be turned away by the public health system, unless their life is in danger, and few can afford the specialist treatment offered by the nation’s myriad private clinics. Many then seek backstreet abortions, which are incredibly unsafe, and as recently as last Sunday a woman was reportedly dead after subjecting herself to such a procedure in the northern Argentinian city of Salta (Indymedia [1]). Approximately two women died every day due to backstreet abortions, according to a 2004 news report from Women on Waves.

As it is now, however, the Argentinian situation seems to at least feature the political will to address the issue of abortion, unlike the current administration in the Republic of Ireland. It is of the uttermost importance that such a pivotal issue of civil rights begins to take part in the national political debate, and that steps are taken to legislate for abortion in the Republic of Ireland.

References

Spanish

-Página/12
[1] "The Archdiocese's New Crusade", published on the 25th of September, 2007 at http://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elpais/1-91941-2007-0....html
[2] "To Quell All Doubt", published on the 10th of September, 2007 located at http://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elpais/1-91147-2007-0....html
[3] "Demonstration Demands the Decriminalization of Abortion", published on the 29th of September, 2007 located at http://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/sociedad/3-92172-2007....html

-Reader's Digest Argentina
[1] "What do we Believe in? Seven out of ten respondents consider themselves religious, but only 21% of them practice it." obtained from http://www.rdargentina.com.ar/ediciones-anteriores_temp...04-01

-Indymedia Argentina:
[1]" Woman in Salta Dies after Subjecting Herself to a Clandestine Abortion", published on October 09th, 2007 at http://argentina.indymedia.org/news/2007/10/553247.php

English:
-Women on Waves
"Stir in Argentina", December 2004, located at http://www.womenonwaves.org/article-1020.1601-en.html

Further Information:
Spanish
Catholics for the Right to Choose: http://www.geocities.com/catolicas/

English:
Abortion in Argentina: http://www.mundoandino.com/Argentina/Abortion-in-Argentina
Human Rights Watch - Abortion in Argentina: http://hrw.org/women/argentina/
Expanding Access to Abortion - Strategies for Action: http://www.iwhc.org/resources/expandingaccess.cfm

Choice Ireland welcomes abortion poll results

2007-09-29T11:27:00.000Z

Choice Ireland has welcomed a poll published in today’s Irish Times showing that a majority of women want legislation for abortion in Ireland.

Speaking before a meeting of Choice Ireland members and supporters in Dublin on Saturday, spokesperson Sinéad Ahern said:

“Choice Ireland has consistently maintained that abortion laws in this country are out of step with the feeling of the Irish people. Today’s poll is further evidence of that. It shows that 54% of Irish women believe the government should legislate for abortion, including majorities in almost every age group.

“This figure rises to 69% in cases where there is a threat to the woman’s life, including by suicide. The government’s ongoing refusal to act on these cases defies logic.”

Spokesperson Niav Keating added:

“Another telling statistic is that 42% of respondents say they personally know a woman who has had an abortion. Considering the secrecy and stigma that surrounds this decision, the likelihood is that well over half of us actually know someone who has done so. This demonstrates that the current law is ineffective in preventing abortions. It merely forces women to obtain them under the most difficult conditions.

“Women have spoken in this poll and it is clear that the days of ceding control of our bodies are over. Demand is growing for the right to make our own reproductive choices. The government and opposition parties must start listening and taking account of women’s views on this issue.”

Choice Ireland calls for regulation of crisis pregnancy counselling agencies.

2007-09-07T14:43:00.000Z

Responding to the re-launch of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency's Positive Options advertising campaign, Choice Ireland has renewed its call for legislation to outlaw rogue crisis pregnancy counselling agencies.

Spokesperson Niav Keating said:

"Choice Ireland acknowledges the valuable work of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency and supports the Positive Options campaign as an element in combating the deceitful and intimidating tactics of rogue agencies by promoting legitimate service providers. However, this campaign has
been running for five years and it is clearly not sufficient on its own to counteract the deceptive advertising tactics of these rogue agencies, which continue to operate with no fear of closure. Choice Ireland has highlighted one such agency in Dublin."

Commenting, spokesperson Sinead Ahern said:

"It is time for Minister Mary Harney to recognise that legislative action is needed. Choice Ireland is calling for regulation of all clinics providing crisis pregnancy counselling, with rogue agencies to be shut down and their operators subject to prosecution. The government should also extend the prohibition on false and misleading advertisement to services that do not require payment or profit, such as pregnancy counselling services. We have written to Minister Harney asking her to meet with us to discuss this matter further."

WRC Protest

2007-08-21T21:38:00.000Z

Choice Ireland held a protest outside the "Women's Resource Centre" - rogue crisis pregnancy counselling agency - 50 Upper Dorset St., Dublin 1, last Saturday 18th August.

Link with more pictures from the protest: http://indymedia.ie/article/83840

Press Release: Saturday 18^th August 2007

Choice Ireland calls for regulation of crisis pregnancy counselling agencies.

As part of their ongoing campaign to highlight the issue of rogue crisis pregnancy counselling agencies, Choice Ireland has made a submission to the Law Reform Commission and will protest outside the Women's Resource Centre on Saturday, 18 ^th August 2007. Rogue crisis pregnancy counselling agencies advertise themselves as providers of legitimate pregnancy counselling services but they are known to use manipulative tactics, provide misleading information and intimidate women. The sole purpose of these agencies is to stop women from travelling outside the State to terminate a pregnancy.

Commenting Niav Keating said:

"Rogue crisis pregnancy agencies deliberately mislead women about the health risks associated with abortion. When Choice Ireland activists attended this agency, they were told that having an abortion would increase their risk of developing breast cancer, becoming an alcoholic and abusing children. These are blatant lies designed to scare vulnerable women in a crisis pregnancy situation".

Commenting Sinead Ahearn said:

"At present, counselling services in Ireland are not regulated which means that any individual or group can establish a counselling service and this is an outrageous situation. We are calling on the government to bring forward statutory regulation for all pregnancy counselling services, prescribing minimum codes of practices and standards, to ensure that they do not impart misleading and incorrect information".

Quotes end.

Pro-choice campaigners gather for Dublin rally

2007-06-30T17:35:00.001Z

Irish Independent - Breaking News
Saturday June 30 2007

Pro-choice campaigners staged a rally in Dublin's city centre today calling for a range of reproductive rights for women, including abortion.

Over 120 thousand Irish women have travelled to the UK to terminate their pregancies since 1990.

A recent M-R-B-I poll found that more than half of people aged between 18 and 25 are favour of abortion on request.

"The rally today is about calling for all sorts of reproductive rights - mainly for the right of women to access abortion services in Ireland," said Sinead Ahern of Choice Ireland.

Photos from Dáil protest

2007-06-28T10:38:00.000Z

Pro-choice groups call for new legislation on abortion

2007-06-28T09:47:00.000Z

The Irish Times
Thursday 28th June 2007
Carl O'Brien

Pro-choice groups have called on the Government to legislate for abortion in Ireland in response to the large number of women who travel abroad to terminate their pregnancies.

Last year 5,042 women gave Irish addresses at abortion clinics in Britain, according to the UK's department of health.

In order to highlight those numbers, Choice Ireland yesterday displayed 20 suitcases and rucksacks outside Leinster House to signify the 20 women who leave Ireland each day for an abortion.

Sinead Ahearn, a spokeswoman for Choice Ireland, said the real numbers of women travelling abroad were much greater as official figures do not include those travelling to other countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium and the US to terminate their pregnancies.

She pointed to a recent TNS/ mrbi poll, commissioned by the Irish Family Planning Agency, which indicated significant support for abortion in Ireland in certain circumstances. It found 43 per cent of people supported abortion if it was in a woman's "best interests", but the majority (51 per cent) remained opposed to it in this country.

Choice Ireland will hold a rally on Saturday at the Central Bank Plaza at 2pm as part of its ongoing campaign for abortion rights.

Fight For Women's Right to Choose!

2007-06-20T09:30:00.000Z

Choice Ireland will hold a Pro Choice Rally at 2pm on Saturday 30th June at Central Bank Plaza, Dame St, Dublin 2. The theme of the rally is "Fight for Women's Right to Choose".

Confirmed Speakers include Sen. David Norris and Ivana Bacik.

Please pass on these details to anyone you think might come along.

Hope to see you there!

What do we want?

Free Access to Accurate Information on All Crisis Pregnancy Options
Legislation Regulating Information Provided by Crisis-Pregnancy Centres
Immediate Legislation for the X and C Cases
Proper Sex-Education
Free Access to Multiple Forms of Contraception Including the Morning-After Pill
Free and Legal Abortion on Demand
High-Quality Post-Abortion Care
End to Stigma Surrounding Abortion
Practical Support for Women Seeking Abortion
End to Stigma Surrounding Sexual Health and Contraceptive Needs
Increased Support for Single and Low-Income Parents
Increased Protection for Working Mothers
Free Access to Quality Childcare
End to Stigma Surrounding Single Parenthood
Choice in the Method of Childbirth
Creation of More Feminist Health Centres

Babies, Storks and the Academic Dishonesty of the Anti-Choice Lobby

2007-05-21T08:39:00.000Z

A recent advertisement circulated in Irish print media by the anti-choice group, “Pro Life Campaign”, is a striking example of the manipulative and unethical tactics the anti-choice lobby are willing to embrace. The ad, spotted originally by Choice Ireland in the Dundalk Democrat, encourages citizens not to give their vote to parties that have given a commitment to introduce abortion legislation. It founds this request on the claim that, “Support for abortion ignores the dignity and humanity of the unborn child and the most recent findings showing the negative effects of abortion on women (Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, January 2006).”

The above citation to the reputable Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry is an obvious attempt to create an impression of academic and scientific support for the oft-cited (but scientifically insupportable) anti-choice assertion that abortion “has negative effects on women”. In fact a basic examination of the article cited merely demonstrates the extent to which the anti-choice agenda are willing to misrepresent facts and embrace academic dishonesty in an effort to garner support for their agenda.

The first point to be made here is that the journal article is mis-referenced and misrepresented at the most basic level. The article in question makes no reference to the notion that “abortion ignores the dignity and humanity of the unborn child”. Neither does the article find “negative effects of abortion on women”.

What the journal article does say is, “The findings suggest that abortion in young women may be associated with increased risks of mental health problems" (Fergusson et al, 2006, 16). The important word here is "associated". This is not the same as "showing the negative effects of abortion on women". What it specifically means is that the authors found a statistically significant relationship (at the Alpha level of below .05) between having an abortion and the presence of the specific mental health indicators they looked for. That by no means indicates or provides evidence for cause. Only correlation. This is a subtle but vital difference.

In order to elucidate the vital distinction between correlation and causation, statisticians often cite the following example. If you examine the records of the city of Copenhagen for the decade following World War II, you will find a strong positive correlation between the annual number of storks nesting in the city, and the annual number of human babies born in the city. Jump too quickly to the assumption of a causal relationship, and you will find yourself saddled with the conclusion either that storks bring babies or that babies bring storks.

In fact what you have here is a situation where the two variables (or things) being examined are correlated (or associated), not because one is causing the other, but rather because both are influenced by a third variable, that is not being taken into account. During the decade following World War II, the populations of most western European cities steadily grew as a result of migrations from surrounding rural areas. Additionally this was the post-war baby boom era. Copenhagen is also home to annually fluctuating numbers of storks. As population increased, there were more people to have babies, and therefore more babies were born. Also as population increased, there was more building construction to accommodate it, which in turn provided more nesting places for storks; hence increasing numbers of storks.

The findings of this research cannot be used to assert causation, only correlation. Abortion does not cause mental problems, it is "associated" or "correlated" with it. The study itself goes into the limitation of this in the discussion section. What it means methodologically is that, while confounding factors were taken into account (third factors that might influence the results), there is the possibility that other confounding factors which were not controlled for have not been taken into account and the association is a result of a third factor. Pointedly, the research did not control for existing psychiatric illness. It is quite possible that this, or any other factor not controlled for is creating a “confounding” association similar to the one between babies and storks.

The research itself also suffers from a variety of methodological problems which impose very serious limitations on the already weak finding that, “abortion in young women may be associated with increased risks of mental health problems”. Indeed the word “may” in this sentence already indicates the extent to which this is an unfounded hypothetical possibility, rather than a definitive evidence based reality.

Perhaps the most striking limitation to this research is the fact that it was conduced in New Zealand. In New Zealand, the provision of abortion is determined by the Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion Act, 1977.The Act requires that certain criteria are met before allowing a woman to undergo an abortion. In order to have an abortion in New Zealand, two certifying consultants must agree: 1) that the pregnancy would seriously harm the life, physical or mental health of the woman or baby; or 2) that the pregnancy is the result of incest; or 3) that the woman is severely mentally handicapped. An abortion will also be considered on the basis of age, or when the pregnancy is the result of rape. Given the implications of these criteria in terms of the mental health of women who are allowed to have an abortion in New Zealand, it is hardly surprising that the study should find some association between women with negative mental health indicators and abortion. Given the circumstances in which the pregnancy must take place, the presence of negative mental health indicators is almost required to have an abortion in New Zealand.

This is by no means the only methodological problem. Importantly, the sample of people that was used for the research may have been biased since it does not match the real population in New Zealand. Specifically the people that were sampled had a lower reported rate of abortion compared to the real population. We would always expect some difference in terms of populations, however as the study itself points out, this difference was statistically significant, (Fergusson et al, 2006, 17). This poses serious problems in terms of the validity of the research since certain types of people may be more likely to admit to having had an abortion. If this is so, the sample will be biased and the results may be invalid.

Another profoundly serious problem, which the article itself points out, is that the research took no account of the role of contextual factors. As the article itself makes patent, " It is clear that the decision to seek (or not seek) an abortion following pregnancy is likely to involve a complex process relating to: a) the extent to which the pregnancy is seen as wanted; b) the extent of family and partner support for seeking or not seeking an abortion; c) the woman's experiences in seeking and obtaining an abortion. It is possible, therefore, that the apparent associations between abortion and mental health found in this study may not reflect the traumatic effects of abortion per se but rather other factors which are associated with the process of seeking and obtaining an abortion. For example, it could be proposed that our results reflect the effects of unwanted pregnancy on mental health rather than the effects of abortion per se on mental health.” (Emphasis added, Fergusson et al, 2006, 22)

Owing to these limitations the real conclusions of the report are as follows:

"On the basis of the current study, it is our view that the issue of whether or not abortion has harmful effects on mental health remains to be fully resolved." (Fergusson et al, 2006, 23)

"Notwithstanding the reservations and limitations above, the present research raises the possibility that for some young women, exposure to abortion is a traumatic life event which increases longer-term susceptibility to common mental disorders.” (Emphasis added. Fergusson et al, 2006, 23)

"These findings are inconsistent with the current consensus on the psychological effects of abortion.”

The findings of this research are indeed out of step with the current consensus on the psychological effects of abortion. This is most likely due to the profound methodological limitations of the research as discussed above. In fact there has been much research on this issue and the consensus is that there is no link between abortion and psychological harm to women. The highly reputable and prestigious American Psychological Association outlined this in their 2005 statement on abortion. It concluded that “well designed studies of psychological responses following abortion have consistently shown that risk of psychological harm is low … the percentage of women who experience clinically relevant distress is small and appears to be no greater than in general samples of women of reproductive age” (American Psychological Association, 2005)."

This is not to deny that abortion is a difficult event for many women. Abortion is a hard choice for all women and one, which no woman chooses lightly. But for some women it is their choice. And with quality counselling to explore their decision prior to making it, it is a choice they rarely regret (IFPA, 2000).

What can be particularly traumatic for women in Ireland facing crisis pregnancy, is the fact that they are forced overseas to avail of an abortion. As women in crisis pregnancy in Ireland are exported abroad the reality of their situation and the decisions they must face are blatantly denied and their choice stigmatised in a way that can only compound the anxiety of a crisis pregnancy. Moreover women who choose an abortion are faced with the enormous financial burden incurred from travelling abroad. A statement by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologist is particularly salient in this regard. “Only a small minority of women experience any long term psychological squeal after abortion. Early distress, although common, is usually a continuation of symptoms present before the abortion. Conversely, long lasting, negative effects on both mothers and their children are reported where abortion has been denied.” (Royal College Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, 2000).

If those who maintain the anti-choice agenda are truly concerned about the psychological welfare of women they might examine the academic consensus on the issue instead of misrepresenting it. Each year between 6000 and 7000 women from Ireland travel to Britain for an abortion. Abortion is a choice women will continue to make. It is also a right that they must be allowed to exercise over their own bodies. It is the absence of abortion rights in Ireland, which is damaging to the psychological well being of women.

The anti-choice lobby claims to be interested in the psychological well being of women and in reducing the numbers of abortions. This interest will not be served by misrepresenting academic research or by manipulating women. Neither will it be aided by denying women their right to an abortion in Ireland and compounding the crisis of their pregnancy. It will be served through legislation legalising free abortion; the introduction of adequate sex education programs; an end to the stigma surrounding sex and abortion; free and accessible contraception and the introduction of real supports for women who choose to go through with their pregnancies. If the anti-choice lobby are truly interested in the psychological well-being of women and reducing the numbers of abortions, the reality is that they would be better served turning their energies towards these issues.

Ah, the joys of knowing that you're always right

2007-05-15T14:31:00.000Z

Ah, the joys of knowing that you're always right

by Ian O'Doherty,

One of the interesting scabs reopened by the Ms D debate has been the bafflement felt by many people at the utter refusal of some religious people to even consider the possibility that it might actually be a kindness - rather than a mere convenience - to terminate the pregnancy of a foetus which will be ultimately born without a brain.

An interesting example of this mentality arrived in the ISpy inbox yesterday, and sat there smugly until it was eventually opened. And these are its words of wisdom: "Isn't more natural to let nature take its course? Who knows, the child might not be as badly affected as the medics predict."But even if the child is going to die, then after the natural term, he or she will die naturally without the recourse of some 'surgeon' tearing it to pieces limb from limb... how sick is that. Women have the right to be protected from abortion, as have their children."Since when does killing innocent and defenceless children become merely an option, a choice? God have mercy on us all."

And these are interesting points, so let's deal with them. Should we just let nature take its course?Applying that logic, the last Pope would have been dead 10 years sooner had his medical team not done so much to stop nature taking its course.

And as for "protecting women from abortion", the last time any of us heard a man talking about protecting women from making their own decisions came from the Taliban. Not that there's much difference between that lot and some of the more excitable fundamentalists in this country.

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=45&si=1829239&issue_id=15618

Choice Ireland calls for no more “X” “C” or “D” Cases

2007-05-09T16:12:00.000Z

Choice Ireland commends today's verdict in favour of “Miss D”s right to travel for an abortion. Nevertheless we are appalled by the treatment “Miss D” has received at the hands of our state. It is unacceptable that yet another woman has been dragged through the courts in order to vindicate her rights and her choice. It is also unacceptable that “Miss D” will now be forced overseas in order to exercise her choice to have an abortion.

Today is not a joyful day for Miss D. While she has finally gained the right to exercise her choice, she had to go through a lot to get to this point. She now has to face into the reality of an abortion. She must do this overseas away from the support of family and friends. She must then return to this country which, because it ignores the problem, has no proper free post-abortion care or counselling available. This is the situation for thousands of Irish women.

The abortion issue must be resolved. Without legislation to clarify the ambiguous legal position with regard to abortion, women like “Miss D” (as Miss “X” and Miss “C” before her) will continue to be dragged through the courts. Meanwhile due to the State's failure to face the reality of tragic crisis pregnancy, 17 Irish women a day have the anguish of their situation compounded by the financial and emotional burden of being forced overseas for an abortion. The current position represents a "head in the sand" approach to a reality faced by thousands of women in Ireland each year and is incompatible with any notion of respect for women.

Choice Ireland are today calling for no more "X", "C" or "D" cases, for the repeal of the 8th amendment and for free, safe and legal abortion to be made available in Ireland.

D Case Verdict Expected Tomorrow - Choice Ireland Member Opinion Piece

2007-05-08T21:37:00.000Z

The high court is due to decide Miss D's fate tomorrow (Wednesday 9th of May) at 2pm. Pro-choice rally in support of Miss D outside the Four Courts from 1.30pm.

There was a counter-demonstration of anti-choice extremists present at Monday's rally, see http://www.indymedia.ie/article/82420

Miss D has said she is glad of everyone's support. She bravely walked past the callously-displayed anti-abortion placards saying, "I don't care what they think".

Their presence on Monday just shows who the "pro-lifers" really are: anti-woman extremists, who think that even a foetus that will not live has an equal right to life as a young woman. It shows that even in the most straight-forward cases of the need for abortion, one can never argue logic with these people. No sane person could countenance forcing Miss D to go through with the trauma of pregnancy and birth when she clearly wants her agony to end.

The people of Ireland are far-and-away supportive of Miss D. Though some of them don't know it, the people of Ireland are far-and-away Pro-Choice. They know, as Choice Ireland knows, that abortion is a terrible thing to have to go through. It is a terrible choice to have to make. But sometimes it is the only choice. And, given proper access to impartial information and counselling, only the woman involved can decide when she needs to have an abortion. No-one, neither church nor state, has the right to interfere.

Long after they should have disappeared into the woodwork, the anti-choice element continues to make its presence felt in Ireland. They are seen with their gruesome placards on our streets, they are disproportionately active in the letters columns of our newspapers. They are present here and there throughout society in the guise of the social worker who would report Miss D to the gardai, the homeless-worker who would kick women out of hostels for having condoms, the teacher who would show young people pro-foetus bloodied propaganda and the pregnancy “counsellor” who would lie to young women about the process and after-effects of abortion. But though these people have a big voice, they have a small following. They are religious, anti-sex, anti-contraceptive, anti-choice fundamentalists. Let us hope their voice begins to be heard in Ireland for what it really is, and ignored.

Miss D has made her choice. Let her be. Let her go.

We in Choice Ireland are saddened that this case had to come to pass. Let there be no more cases like this. Let us stop exporting the problems of our young women. Let us stop traumatising and stigmatising them. We have already enshrined the "right to travel" for abortions in our constitution. Now let us break free from the pervasive influence of religious fanatics, let us end the hypocrisy and see that Irish women have the "right not to travel" for abortions.

Free, safe, legal abortions in Ireland now.

Rally in Support of Miss D

2007-05-05T21:16:00.000Z

There were about 150 people in attendance at the rally at the GPO today to support Miss D.

Audio and pictures: http://www.indymedia.ie/article/82374

Her case continues at a special sitting of the high court on Monday (7th May).

Come along to the Four Courts from 10.30am to show your support.

Alliance for Choice Calls for Immediate Resolution of "D" Case

2007-05-05T21:05:00.000Z

At a rally in Dublin today, pro-choice groups called for the immediate resolution of the "D" case. This young woman has been subjected to the stress and anxiety of court appearances and legal arguments at a time when she should have been supported by the HSE and state, not further traumatized. It is truly outrageous that this vulnerable young woman should have been forced to ask the courts for the right to terminate a pregnancy that can, at best, result in the birth of a child with no possibility of life.

The HSE must retract their callous approach to D's tragic case and facilitate her choice for a termination. She cannot afford any further delay and the Irish people will not thank the HSE or the government for again brutalising a young woman in their name.

Following on from the X and C cases in the 1990s, legislation dealing with the issue of abortion was promised, but even after the people rejected the Government's 2002 attempt to roll back the X judgement even that minimal protection has not been underpinned by law. WHile the near total ban on abortion in Ireland does not prevent most women from seeking abortions, it does result in increased delay, expense, unnecessary hardship and stigma for those women who face particular barriers to accessing services abroad, such as women living in poverty, young women, migrant and asylum-seeking women, and all those in the direct care or control of the State.

Doctors for Choice Advocate Safe and Legal Abortion

2007-05-05T21:00:00.001Z

PRESS RELEASE from Doctors for Choice

In the current case Miss D should be offered a termination of pregnancy in a publicly funded Irish obstetric unit.

'This would ensure that she receives local medical and social care, with the necessary follow-up of post mortem, genetic counselling and psychological support as is appropriate' siad Dr Mary Favier of Doctors for Choice.

'It is clear that there has been support from Irish obstetricians for this course of action. In 2002, two of the Masters of the Dublin maternity hospitals acknowledged that they would prefer to see termination of pregnancy offered in Ireland, to women who are affected by fatal foetal anomaly' she added.

Ireland has the second hightest rate of neural tube defects in the world. Anencephaly is an abnormal development of the brain and skull which occurs during the first weeks of pregnancy. The upper part of the brain and its protective skull are missing and the lower part of the brain and the base of the skull are not properly formed.

Doctors for Choice have said that it is time to end the political hypocrisy surrounding the matter of abortion and women's health care in this country. We call on leaders of all political parties to respond to our statement that Miss D be offered a termination of pregnancy.

Psychologists for Choice Urge Compassionate Response for Miss D

2007-05-05T20:59:00.001Z

PRESS RELEASE from Psychologists for Choice

Psychologists for Choice have said that Miss D should be given a compassionate response to her present traumatic condition, and that Miss D should have the right to have a ternmination of her pregnancy in Ireland should she so wish.

'We are extremely concerned for this young vulnerable and extremely brave woman. It should be abundantly clear that this woman should be afforded the respect to let her make her own decision to obtain an abortion, and that this should be available to her abroad or in Ireland should she so wish, and publicly funded by the HSE' said Dr Geraldine Moane, spokesperson of Psychologists for Choice.

Last year, at the European Court of Human Rights, in the case of D v Ireland, Government lawyers accepted that Irish law might actually permit abortion of foetuses that suffer from letahl abnormalities.

D was an Irishwoman forced to travel to Britain for an abortion of twins, one of whom was dead and the other was suffering from a genetic condition, which meant that it could not live more than a few days after birth.

In 2002, Deirdre De Barra, in a similar case, challenged the Government and the Catholic Church. In her letter to the Irish Times on February 24th 2002, she wrote-'I want to hear the response of the Taoiseach(Prime Minister), the Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister), the Attorney General, Cadinal Connell, to this specific aspect of the issue of the unborn. On behalf of other women and families who have suffered, I want to know this issue will be prioritised, addressed and resolved between the legislature and the medical profession.'

There was no response.

'The extent of political hypocrisy around the issue of abortion has been a scandal for 15 years since the X Case in 1992' added Dr Geraldine Moane.

Dr Geraldine Moane is spokesperson of Psychologists for Choice, an organisation campaigning for safe and legal abortion in Ireland.

Founding Documents

2007-05-04T18:58:00.000Z

These are the founding documents of Choice Ireland. Full text can also be found at http://www.indymedia.ie/article/82358.
If you wish to contact us or become involved or go on our mailing list contact us: choiceireland@gmail.com

SUMMARY:

Guiding Principles

We Are a Feminist Organisation
We See Reproductive Freedom as a Critical Element of Women’s Liberation
We Recognise that Reproductive Freedom is Multi-Faceted and we Seek to Ensure a Woman’s Freedom to Pursue ALL Reproductive Choices
We Will Promote Education to Empower Women to Take Charge of their Fertility
The Right to Bodily Integrity
No Affiliation to Parties Seeking Political Power
Resistance to Hard-Line Anti-Choice Fanatics
Solidarity with Like-Minded Pro-Choice Groups and Feminist Organisations
International Solidarity

What Do We Want?

Free Access to Accurate Information on All Crisis Pregnancy Options
Legislation Regulating Information Provided by Crisis-Pregnancy Centres
Immediate Legislation for the X and C Cases
Proper Sex-Education
Free Access to Multiple Forms of Contraception Including the Morning-After Pill
Free and Legal Abortion on Demand
High-Quality Post-Abortion Care
End to Stigma Surrounding Abortion
Practical Support for Women Seeking Abortion
End to Stigma Surrounding Sexual Health and Contraceptive Needs
Increased Support for Single and Low-Income Parents
Increased Protection for Working Mothers
Free Access to Quality Childcare
End to Stigma Surrounding Single Parenthood
Choice in the Method of Childbirth
Creation of More Feminist Health Centres

FULL TEXT:

Guiding Principles

We are a Feminist Organisation

We proudly declare ourselves to be a feminist organisation. We reject the negative connotations that have been attached to feminism in recent years (mainly by its enemies). We call for all women who share our aims and principles to reassert ownership of the word.

We See Reproductive Freedom as a Critical Element of Women’s Liberation

Closing in on forty years past what could be called the ‘hey-day’ of the ‘women’s liberation’ movement, women’s lives are still defined and constrained by limitations on their reproductive choices which are both enforced by the coercive power of the state and imposed by predominant social paradigms concerning a woman’s ‘appropriate’ role. We find these limitations to be unacceptable. Although we realize that eliminating the current restrictions surrounding reproductive choice is not a panacea – women’s liberation is bound up in much more than reproductive capacity – we see this issue as being of fundamental significance in that larger struggle.

We Recognise that Reproductive Freedom is Multi-Faceted and we Seek to Ensure a Woman’s Freedom to Pursue ALL Reproductive Choices

We believe that it is the fundamental right of every woman to decide for herself whether and when to bear children. Any interference with this decision is unacceptable.

We aim to ensure that all women have the power to make conscious and well-informed choices regarding all aspects of their sexual and reproductive lives and to make such choices without fear of shame, alienation, or economic distress.

We are committed to supporting women in whatever reproductive choice they make.

We will Promote Education to Empower Women to take Charge of their Fertility

It is inherent to the concept of freedom of choice that not only is the full range of choices available to women, but women are fully informed about those choices. We believe that knowledge is power. As such, we will promote education of women about their health, contraceptive and reproductive options.

We support a woman’s choice to say ‘no’. The right to reproductive choice begins with the right to give or deny consent to sexual activity. Women must be empowered to make this decision freely and without undue pressure. Church-supported ‘abstinence campaigns’ are inadequate for this purpose because they do not locate the issue in its proper context – a woman’s right to control her own body.

Men must also be educated to understand the reasons why a woman may withhold consent and above all to respect that decision – at whatever stage, in whatever kind of relationship it occurs.

The Right to Bodily Integrity

The new ‘foetal rights’ movement limits the freedom of not only pregnant women but increasingly even of potentially-pregnant women of childbearing age. There are alarming reports from other countries of women being prosecuted for failing to meet particular behavioural standards during pregnancy. Women who have already given birth are also at risk from the threat to bodily integrity: in Ireland last year a woman’s right to refuse medical treatment was denied on the basis of her status as a mother.

This is a particular concern in view of the imminent Constitutional referendum to prioritise the ‘best interests of the child’. It is imperative that such an amendment does not provide a vehicle by which women’s bodies can be further subjugated to a reactionary agenda.

No Affiliation to Parties Seeking Political Power

Choice Ireland is non-party political and will remain that way. We will not risk being co-opted or having our principles compromised for the sake of political power or electoral gain. We also want to gain the widest possible support from the pro-choice left and this can only be achieved through complete independence.

Individual members may retain their own personal party affiliation. However, we are determined to ensure that no one political organisation takes de facto control of the group.

Resistance to Hard-Line Anti-Choice Fanatics

The anti-choice movement as pushed and funded in Irish society is primarily a religious one. It goes hand-in-hand with an anti-contraceptive, anti-sex education homophobic position. Many people holding this inflexible viewpoint have positions of power and influence over the young and the vulnerable through charitable, educational and governmental institutions eg. homeless shelters, schools, hospitals and social services. They can use their positions (and resources) to promote an anti-contraception, anti-choice agenda, while pro-choice workers are silent or silenced.

We call for people to recognise this destructive hard-line influence of the catholic church and to see that they have the right to resist it. We will support self-organisation of workers around the issue of choice eg. Doctors and Social Workers for Choice.

Solidarity with Like-minded Pro-choice Groups and Feminist Organisations

We are not seeking to reinvent the wheel. Our aim is to complement and add to the work already being done by organisations with similar or compatible goals. We will work with them, ask for their support and offer ours in return. This includes supporting organisations seeking the extension of the 1967 Abortion Act to the North of Ireland.

International Solidarity

Our primary focus at this time is on women in Ireland. Nevertheless we remain interested in the larger structures of power facilitating the continuing oppression of women globally. In particular we express solidarity with women of the Global South who pay a unique price for the detrimental effects of capitalist and neo-liberal economic policies implemented to position certain places in the world beneath others. We seek to better inform ourselves about intersections of oppression, to increase our understanding of the way ‘gender’ functions in our societies, and to realise the possibility for a non-exploitative global community founded on mutual respect.

What do we Want?

Free Access to Accurate Information on all Crisis Pregnancy Options

Women who find themselves in a crisis pregnancy situation have an absolute right to know exactly what options are available to them, and to hear the full facts about each option, presented in an unbiased and non-judgmental way. This right must not depend upon a woman’s age, income, area of residence, ability to travel, marital status, immigration status, sexual orientation or any other qualification.

Legislation Regulating Information Provided by Crisis Pregnancy Centres

At present, regulations exist for those crisis pregnancy centres that are funded by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency. However, anybody who wishes to set themselves up as an independent ‘crisis pregnancy centre’ is free to do so without regulation. The Minister for Health, Mary Harney, has explicitly ruled out any change to this position.

As a consequence, fanatical anti-abortionists have been able to set up ‘rogue agencies’ such as the one operating at 50 Upper Dorset Street, Dublin 1, which advertise themselves under misleading names such as ‘A Choice For Women’ and ‘British Alternatives’ in order to attract women seeking abortions. These women are then subjected to false and psychologically traumatising misinformation about the abortion procedure.

Legislation is clearly needed to ensure that all crisis pregnancy centres operate within an agreed acceptable framework, with rogue agencies to be shut down and their operators subject to prosecution.

Immediate Legislation for the X and C Cases

It is now 15 years since the Supreme Court ruled that abortion is legal in the case of a threat to a woman’s life (including by suicide) and ten years since the subsequent C case. The Government has refused to put these decisions on a firm statutory footing. It should do so without delay. Legislation also needs to be put in place to prevent the occurrence of another case like Miss D’s.

Proper Sex-Education

Young people have the right to be properly informed about the workings of their own bodies. Growing up in a sex-obsessed society, with the pressures of the media, they must have independent open forums to discuss and learn about sexuality, sexual health, contraception and also boundaries and consent. Sex education should not just discuss heterosexual relations. Sex education must be brought beyond the mechanical and into the emotional. It is in their first forays into sexual experience that young people may become the victims of the sexual power imbalances inherent in our society. Young people must be empowered to make their own choices regarding their health and reproductive freedom. It is not enough to know how a condom works, you also need to know how to control sexual situations enough to be able to insist on using one.

Free Access to All Forms of Contraception Including the Morning-After Pill

True reproductive choice depends upon a woman’s ability to easily access whatever method of contraception (if any) she prefers. This is not only her right but is also an essential factor in minimising the numbers of women seeking abortion. We are calling for all contraceptives and related services, including STI screening and smear tests, to be available free at the point of delivery. Because of the critical timeframe involved we believe that pharmacists must be allowed to dispense emergency contraception, which should also be free on demand. We support the regular distribution of condoms in schools, colleges and health centres.

To lessen the burden on providers, we also call for the government to reduce VAT on all contraceptives to the legal minimum. As a broader aim we would seek a change in European law to add reproductive goods and services to the ‘VAT exempt’ category.

Free and Legal Abortion on Demand

Women must not be forced to seek anyone’s permission or to demonstrate that they have a particular reason for seeking an abortion. This right must not depend on a woman’s age, income, area of residence, ability to travel, marital status, immigration status or any other qualification. Abortion must be freely available and equally accessible to all women who seek it.

High-Quality Post-Abortion Care

At present the stigma on abortion means that women who make this choice have extremely limited options on where to go if they require post-abortion counselling or medical care. It is unacceptable that women should have to rely upon access to a small number of pro-choice agencies (non-existent in many parts of the country) or if they are lucky, a sympathetic doctor or counsellor in their own area. We are calling for the expansion of such services throughout the country, and for increased training for GPs and psychological professionals to provide a high standard of non-judgmental post-abortion care.

End to Stigma Surrounding Abortion

Every year more than 6,000 Irish women travel abroad to have an abortion. They are forced to do this in secrecy, with minimal support, inventing excuses for their families, friends, employers and colleagues. Many Irish women who have abortions describe the stigma around abortion as causing far more trauma than the abortion itself.

A woman who chooses to terminate a pregnancy that she is unprepared to continue is not being irresponsible, selfish or ‘taking the easy way out’. The choice to abort a foetus is a difficult personal decision and can only be made by a woman herself – away from the influence of profiteers and crusaders alike.

Practical Support for Women Seeking Abortion

The legal regime and the stigma of abortion in Ireland mean that women who want to make this choice have few places to turn for assistance and support. We intend to help fill this void.

End to Stigma Surrounding Sexual Health and Contraceptive Needs

Many young people in particular delay or avoid obtaining contraception or related services because they are embarrassed. It is time that we stopped treating sex as a deep or shameful secret.

Increased Support for Single and Low-Income Parents

The cost of childrearing acts as a very effective constraint on women’s reproductive decisions. This is a burden that falls disproportionately on single and low-income parents. There can be no real ‘right to choose’ when some women who want to have children are financially unable to do so – nor is it acceptable that women should suffer poverty as a result of making this choice.

Increased Protection for Working Mothers

Many women who are employed or seeking work will find their reproductive choices limited. Difficulties range from outright discrimination, to insufficient maternity leave, to employers’ refusal to accommodate flexible working hours and breastfeeding breaks. We call for stringent, strictly enforced statutory protections to ensure that working women are not prevented from exercising their right to have children, or penalised for doing so.

Free Access to Quality Childcare

As a result of the enormous cost of childcare in Ireland, many women either cannot exercise their choice to have children or suffer a huge financial burden if they do. This expense also limits women’s options in terms of education and employment. All options concerning publicly-funded childcare should be immediately investigated.

Additionally, women who wish to remain at home to care for young children should be able to do so. It is illogical that a person can earn income and pension entitlements for looking after someone else’s children but not for looking after their own.

End to Stigma Surrounding Single Parenthood

We emphatically reject the notion that sex and reproduction should take place only inside the nuclear family structure. The nuclear family has its origins in the development of private property and class division; today, this structure is reinforced by a religion that places control of women’s bodies at the centre of its teachings. We support the right of both men and women to raise children alone or in a non-traditional family structure.

Choice in the Method of Childbirth

The traditional practice of midwifery has declined in large part due to a concerted effort by (mostly male) doctors to establish a monopoly over care. We support women’s choice to give birth at home, in hospital or in whichever setting she deems appropriate.

Creation of More Feminist Health Centres

Women’s healthcare is not limited to reproductive concerns. The ‘care’ we receive in professionalised facilities often reflects the biases of those delivering it. We demand the establishment of more feminist health centres. This will give women throughout the country the option of obtaining high quality, genuinely woman-centred healthcare.

Rally in Response to the ‘Miss D’ Case

2007-05-02T19:30:00.000Z

Choice Ireland are calling a rally in support of ‘Miss D’ and to highlight the disgraceful situation our government has yet again caused.

Saturday May 5th @ 12pm at the G.P.O

It is now over 15 years since the X case ruling and successive Irish governments have failed to introduce abortion legislation that clears the muddied waters surrounding Irish women’s right to travel for an abortion. By failing to legislate for cases similar to that of “C” and “X” the Irish government are inflicting unnecessary trauma on women who are already in incredibly stressful situations.

Yet another harrowing case of a woman seeking to overturn an order preventing her from travelling for an abortion has come before the courts. Miss “D”, a 17 year old in the care of the HSE is four months pregnant with a child who has been diagnosed with anencephaly. The prognosis for individuals with anencephaly is extremely poor. If the infant is not still-born then he or she will usually die within a few hours or days after birth (Thompson et al., 1994). No
woman should have to endure the trauma of carrying to full term a child who will not live more than a few hours. By preventing “Miss D” from travelling the Irish government are defining women by their status as a uterine incubator rather than individuals entitled to basic human rights.

“Miss D” is another case of several that have gone before and will come again that highlight the flaws in Irish abortion law. Without legislation to deal with this issue yet more Irish women in difficult situations will have to be dragged through the courts. Not all of the women who make the difficult decision to have an abortion come to the attention of the courts and the media. Every year over 6,000 women travel to England and further a field to seek a termination. Choice Ireland are today calling for no more “X” or “D” cases, for the repeal of the 8th amendment and for free safe and legal abortion to be made available in Ireland.

The Rally will be addressed by speakers from Doctors for Choice, Choice Ireland and Alliance for Choice.

Dublin People article

2007-04-03T22:02:00.000Z

Women’s centre hits back after protest

A NORTHSIDE centre offering crisis pregnancy advice has hit back at claims that it is intentionally misleading women in an effort to prevent them from considering having abortions in the UK.

A group of concerned pro-choice campaigners recently organised a protest outside the Women’s Resource Centre (WRC) on Dorset Street on International Women’s Day to highlight what they claimed were “misleading” practices at the centre.

However, a spokesman for the resource centre, which also operates under the name ‘A Choice For Women’, told Northside People that it is simply trying to prevent certain organisations from profiting from abortion in the UK.

Patrick Jameson, public relations officer for the WRC, said women have a right to know and be protected from what he called “British abortion profiteers”.

Mr Jameson claimed that some agencies didn’t give women the full facts on the potential dangers and side effects of abortion.

However, the local pro-choice group that organised the protest outside the WRC has accused the centre of giving women misleading and distorted information about pregnancy and abortion services.
Mary O’Flynn, a local woman who helped organise the protest, said she attended A Choice For Women at the WRC and was distressed and shocked by the service and information she received.
Ms O’Flynn was not pregnant when she attended the centre.

“They aim to prevent women from travelling for abortion services by giving deliberate misinformation,” Ms O’Flynn claimed.

Ms O’Flynn said she was told at the WRC that the service it provides is impartial, but she became suspicious of its intentions after the information she was given.

Ms O’Flynn said the protest outside the WRC was necessary, given the fact that the discussion of abortion still remains taboo in Ireland.

“Where many women are isolated and afraid to seek the advice of family, friends and partners, pregnancy agencies offer a vital service,” Ms O’Flynn added.

However, Mr Jameson countered that women attending the WRC have a right to be protected from those who pressure them into abortions by presenting a child as a threat.

He said A Choice For Women informs women in crisis pregnancies of the full legalities surrounding abortion in both Britain and Ireland.

“We do not, however, have any association with clinics which carry out, or profit from, the practice of abortion in Britain,” Mr Jameson stated.

“As regards the possible effects of abortion, women have a right to know and be protected from British abortion profiteers.”

Meanwhile, the Irish Family Planning Association is calling on the Government to bring forward statutory regulation for all pregnancy advice and counseling services, to ensure that they do not impart misleading and incorrect advice.

Under the regulation of Information Act (1995), non-directive State funded agencies may only provide services on a face-to-face basis and there is an obligation on them to provide information on all options.

Rosie Toner, director of the Pregnancy Counselling service of the IFPA, said: “At the IFPA we give women information on all available options and then leave it up to them to make up their own mind on what course of action they want to take and we then offer counselling accordingly.

“However, pregnancy advice and counseling services which are not State funded are currently not restricted in any way and this is a major problem.”

Newstalk Documentary

2007-03-27T21:12:00.000Z

This excellent documentary about the "rogue" agency on Dorset St. went out on Newstalk last year. The agency was then known as "Alpha". Aisling O’Riordan went in and did an excellent exposé called "Abortion: My Journey". It got a lot of coverage at the time. The agency coped with it by painting over the name and changing their listing in the phone book.

Here is the podcast: http://www.newstalk106.ie/podcasts/abortion.xml
Here is an mp3: http://www.newstalk.ie/podcasts/library/Abortion/part1.mp3

Pro Choice Group Meeting on Thursday 29 March.

2007-03-27T19:09:00.000Z

Pro Choice Group Meeting on Thursday 29 March.

Meet at TCD Front Gates at 6.50 pm.

At its meeting last week, the group confirmed the adoption of the name Choice Ireland. Topics for discussion at this weeks meeting include future action regarding the Rogue Clinic.

Report on last Saturdays picket on the Rogue Clinic at:
http://72.232.163.18/article/81655

Pat

Picket On Rogue Clinic Saturday 24 march 2007

2007-03-27T19:00:00.000Z

Picket on rogue pregnancy agency in Dublin

Audio and photos at http://www.indymedia.ie/article/81655

Photos and audio from the picket of the rogue pregnancy advice agency in Dublin. Audio (first comment) includes some an anti-choice activist trying to defend the agency on the grounds that the ends justify the means.

Picket from across the road
Note that the agency had covered up its usual sign for the morning, a further confirmation of its real agenda.

anti-choice activist who is heard on the audio

Audio interview with people at picket by Joe - WSM - personal capacity Mon Mar 26, 2007 19:30
Its 3.1 mb and around 11 minutes.Due to a technical problem with the recording equipment the are some short segments randomly missing, apologies for this
Interviews made at Saturdays picket
http://www.indymedia.ie/attachments/mar2007/rogue24march.mp3

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/81655

Rogue Anti-Choice Agency, Dorset St. - A History of Lies and Deception

2007-03-24T16:42:00.000Z

Rogue Anti-Choice Agency, Dorset St. - A History of Lies and Deception

dublin rights and freedoms news report Friday March 09, 2007 16:49 by Pro Choice Activist

This article exposes the long history of the "rogue" crisis pregnancy agency operating from Dorset St. in Dublin, together with their links to parties of the far religious right. Since they have been in existence, the agency has continuously changed their name and location to avoid detection.

The "Women's Resource Centre" on Dorset St.

This is the full story of a rogue crisis pregnancy agency which has been operating in Dublin city for over a decade. Despite numerous infringements of the law, the agency has never been shut down by the state, nor have laws been introduced to ensure the regulation of crisis pregnancy agencies that purport to be pro-choice but are in reality, the complete opposite. Recently, a campaign has been set up which aims to target this agency and get it closed down – and this time, for good. We hope you will read this article and that afterwards you will consider becoming involved in this campaign and the broad movement for reproductive rights in Ireland. It is quite a long account so please bear with us – there are some very interesting things in it that we discovered along the way.Throughout the article, you will notice that we generally refer to the clinic in question as “the agency”. This is because it has no permanent name; following incidents that generate bad publicity, it changes its trading name, shop front, and sometimes even its location. The agency has had to change its name many times but generally uses a name beginning with ‘A’ (A Choice for Women, Aadams, Alpha etc) so they appear first in the phonebook. You can find the current advertisement for the agency in the Family Planning section of the phonebook – it is the largest advertisement in the section and states that it provides “all options” to women in crisis pregnancy situations. It also claims to have offices in “London, Liverpool and Manchester”, obviously implying that they are linked to abortion clinics in the U.K. In addition to this, it says that they offer “post-abortion counselling”. The layout and format of the ad are almost identical to those of genuine crisis pregnancy agencies – but their one is by far the largest. However, the advertisement for the agency differs from most of the other family planning advertisements in that it has no address, only a telephone number.From 1995 to 1999, the agency was known as the “Aadams” agency. According to their own estimation they saw 2000 women during this period. They were shut down due to a High Court ruling that they were running an illegal adoption agency. RTE covered the story at the time.“The High Court has ruled that the founder of a pregnancy counselling service had unlawful custody of a baby during the summer. The baby had been born to a student who had sought help from the agency. The infant is now being cared for by foster parents with the Eastern Health Board.In a 32-page ruling delivered over the weekend, Ms Justice Laffoy said that the agency founder had "singularly failed" to show that the 21-year-old mother's decision to give her baby to the man and his wife for adoption was a free decision. She said that they had acted in a totally inappropriate manner in relation to the young mother.The pregnancy advice agency at the centre of the case is believed to have associations with the Irish anti-abortion movement”(Full story - http://www.rte.ie/news/1999/0830/custody.html)

In addition to this, Miriam Donohue and Carol Coulter(Legal Affairs) were writing articles about the case in the Irish Times.. The links to these articles are here
http://www.ireland.com/cgi-bin/dialogserver?DB=all&THRESHOLD=90&QUERY00=aadams .

Unfortunately you have to subscribe to be able to read the Irish Times pieces; however, here are some select quotes about the practices of the Aadams Agency at the time.

“Women taking calls to the Aadam's advertised phone numbers offered appointments for pregnancy counselling at its address when contacted last Saturday and Sunday. Callers to these numbers are not told that the counsellors are anti-abortion. On Friday a call to a different number led to an appointment at the same address. Asked if "all the options" would be discussed, the woman who took the call said: "You wouldn't believe the number of people who are suing abortion clinics in England because they are not given the full facts. The counselling is based on all the facts."” – The Irish Times

This is an account of a first-hand experience of the ‘counselling service’ received by a 20 year old Dublin girl (quoted from The Irish Times)

"In the room upstairs there was a small table and two chairs, and a television and video in the corner. The carpet was scruffy. The man asked me to do a pregnancy test and I went to the bathroom down the hall, which was just as bad. He asked me had I been using any protection. He took out a dummy of a 10-week-old foetus and said this was what was inside me, and did I want to kill it. Then he put on the video and showed all the instruments and how they perform an abortion. It was awful. I'm still going through it. He gave me all these pictures and letters from people he said went to him and decided to have their babies. There were pictures of the babies. He gave me medals and prayers, and a poem meant to be from a foetus to its mother asking not to be killed. It was spooky."

In 1999, the agency then became known as the “Women’s Counselling Network”.This is a quote from an article in the Irish Independent at the time,“THE founders of a pregnancy counselling service, who were ruled to have unlawful custody of a baby earlier this year, are now involved in a similar advice agency in Dublin. A garda investigation is underway into the activities of the former Aadams Agency, which operated in Dublin and Cork, arising from the decision of the High Court last August. The new agency, the Women's Counselling Network, is operating from Dorset St and is offering advice to women in crisis pregnancies. It is understood the new agency is operating within existing legal guidelines. Under current legislation any pregnancy agency which does not provide information on abortion is not subject to regulation.”(Full article at http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=...d=537)

The agency applied for government funding in 2003 under the name “Womens’ Resource Centre”, but was turned down.They also contributed to the government Green Paper on abortion, as did Youth Defence.“WCN” seemed to have broadly similar aims to the American "Pregnancy ResourceCentres"
This Time article http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,159044....html
details the reliances of these agencies on ultrasound scans to get women who wanted to have abortions to change their minds. One group of these American "Pregnancy Resource Centres" has a "Worldwide Directory of Pregnancy Help" on its website. Here's the site – search for Ireland at this link.. http://www.heartbeatinternational.org/worldwide_directo...y.asp

You'll notice The Majella Pregnancy Centre in Limerick, the Mariel Crisis Pregnancy Center in Cork and something called The WCN International in Dublin. Although it’s not operating from the same address as the Aadams agency was, an article in the Irish Examiner clearly linked the two agencies together.“THE founder of the pregnancy advice agency at the centre of an illegal adoption storm is running as an independent by election candidate in Dublin South Central.The candidate is the founder and proprietor of the Aadam’s pregnancy advice centre. He unlawfully adopted a four day old baby from a college student who had sought advice on her crisis pregnancy from the Aadams Agency.In the High Court in August, Justice Laffoy ruled that the man could not be named, in order to prevent the mother and baby from being identified. This man is now seeking election to the Dáil.This man is also involved in another crisis pregnancy advice centre called WCN International.”(Full story at http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/1999/10/23/ipage_3...3.htm)

Another Examiner article names the proprieter as Eamon Murphy.“Independent candidate Eamon Murphy is head of Aadams Women’s centre and he is a strong anti abortion campaigner.”(Full story at http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/1999/10/26/ipage_1.htm)

These websites detail the electoral career of Eamonn Murphy. He ran for election in 1994 and 1999, once under the banner of the Christian Centrist Party.
http://www.electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=1997B&cons=103 http://www.electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=199...party

In 2000, the agency became known as “Alpha”. They painted over their sign on the Dorset St. premises and changed their Golden Pages listing after this Newstalkdocumentary: http://www.newstalk.ie/podcasts/library/Abortion/part1.mp3

From 2006, the agency has been listed in the Golden Pages as “A Choice for Women”, and also as “British Alternatives Pregnancy Services”. Two listings, two numbers – but only one place.This is the official listing for the “A Choice for Women” business. Note the name – Micheal O’Lorchain.Detail on Business Name (source CRO):
Number 179441
Name A CHOICE FOR WOMEN - WOMEN'S RESOURCE CENTRESAddress50, UPPER DORSET STREET,DUBLIN 1.
Registered02/05/2000
Status Normal
Effective date: 04/05/2000
Owner Name: MICHEAL O'LORHCAIN
Date of Birth: Not Available
Address: 5A, TOLKA COTTAGES,DUBLIN 9.

A certain Michael Larkin ran for election in 2002 on the Christian Solidarity Party ticket. Their office is around the corner from the agency at 14 North Frederick Street, Dublin 1. The links between this “crisis pregnancy agency” and the fundamental religious parties of the right are undeniable. Thankyou for reading this far – we hope that you consider getting involved. To be added to the mailing list, please contact horganjones.jane@gmail.com.

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/81414

Report on Protest outside Rogue Anti-Choice Agency 8 March 2007

2007-03-24T16:19:00.000Z

Report & Photos from Protest outside Rogue Anti-Choice Agency
dublin gender and sexuality feature Friday March 09, 2007 15:24 by Pro Choice Activist

Pro Choice Activists marked International Women's Day by holding a protest outside a Rogue family planning agency on Dorset Street. The Agency, called "Women's Resource Agency" and also using the name "British Alternatives Pregnancy Services", was covered up with a brown sheeting - in an attempt to prevent their identity and location being exposed in the media. Advertised as a pregnancy counselling agency, it subjects women in crisis pregnancies to psychological manipulation, misleading and deliberately lying about pregnancy and abortion services to prevent women from travelling for abortion services.

The lies they tell clients are designed to force women to feel guilt and shame for even considering abortion as an option. A newly formed pro-choice group in Dublin (yet to be named) has been working over the last few weeks to gather information about this place. This has included reports back from women who have been to see a 'counsellor' of the agency to get abortion information.
Also Read: Rogue Anti-Choice Agency, Dorset St. - A History of Lies and Deception

Related Links: Indymedia.ie Gender & Sexuality Articles — Pro-Choice Campaigning — RAG Dayschool on Sexual Violence — Alliance For Choice — BODY Launch Article — Irish Family Planning Agency

International Women's Day... The Unmanageables Protest and Blockade Min for Justice Michael McDowell's Office
In Co. Derry: Graffiti by Road
and some interesting Sculpture Alterations
Audio: Class, Feminism and Revolution - Download and Discuss

The protest was called to reveal and undermine the ability of Anti-Choice elements in society to mislead and manipulate women about pregnancy options. This crisis pregnancy agency is a disgusting example of this.The action on the day was very successful. About 30 to 40 people showed up. When we arrived they had prepared for our coming. A large brown canvas was secured on hooks from above, to mask the façade of the building. A large barrier was in front of this and attached to the railings that were permanently on the windows. This was an obvious attempt by this anti-choice group to prevent exposure.

The canvas was soon removed with the help of some direct action by a group of protestors.The Anti-choice side that a few of its ‘bully boys’ out to attempt to intimidate us. It always amazes me that it’s the heavy set middle aged men who attempt to control a women’s fertility for her. They made a bit of a scene shouting, which only served to highlight the dodgy nature of this agency. One of the protestors was informed that due to her part in the protest ‘Satan is going to visit you tonight.’ The protester in question can confirm that she has no visitors last night. Some protestors tried to engage with other anti-choice individuals. On departing a protestor was threatened by the bullyboy in question. The protesters held placards exposing the lies the agency had told women. Here are some of the lies: “Irish women are unable to get medical abortions in England, and must wait until being at least 8 weeks pregnant to get a surgical abortion” “Abortion increases the risk of breast cancer” “Women who have abortions are more likely to become abusive of children, become alcoholics, and develop congenital depression” “Abortion causes frigidity in women”

The reaction from passers by was by and large positive. Some publicity was achieved. I believe that the most productive thing is that the agency obviously knows that we are on to them. They have in the past changed their name when exposed so now we have to see what they will do. They may be forced to change their location if we keep the pressure up. Ideally we have to put them out of business by making it impossible for them to operate. The group has a good momentum going now and its vital that it is kept on track. Women have been waiting too long for the right to choose. We should look to our Portuguese counterparts and take heart in the fact that if we fight hard enough for it, it will be achieved. Look out for the next meeting, which will be posted on indymedia shortly. Solidarity.

Link to newstalk documentary on the same agency last year: http://www.newstalk.ie/podcasts/library/Abortion/part1.

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/81395

Pro Choice Action 8 March 2007.

2007-03-24T16:14:00.001Z

Pro Choice Action

dublin gender and sexuality event notice Monday March 05, 2007 19:49 by Mary - Pro-choice

To mark international women’s day we are calling for a Picket outside of a rogue crisis pregnancy agency.

This is the first general action called by the newly formed pro-choice group in Dublin. Over the last few weeks, we have been gathering information about a rogue agency operating in Dublin. We have gained first hand knowledge that this agency is using unethical tactics, such as providing false information about abortions. This may have the consequence of forcing a woman to go through a later term abortion and thus increasing how evasive the procedure need be. Also they use scare tactics such as stressing the possible side effects. For example they claimed that one such potential side was that women are more liking to abuse future children if they have an abortion. To mark international women’s day we are calling for a Picket outside of this rogue agency. This is to highlight the unacceptable Irish laws on abortion in this state also the horrific tactics employed by those that are anti-pro-choice.The action is to take place outside: 50 Upper Dorset St. @ 5:30pmHope to see ya all there.

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/81342

Pro Choice Campaigning Action 20 January 2007

2007-03-24T16:09:00.000Z

Pro Choice Campaigning

dublin gender and sexuality news report Tuesday January 23, 2007 14:25 by Jane

Thousands of Pro Choice Leaflets were distributed in Dublin City Centre last weekend as part of a campaign to increase visibility of pro choice activism and to put the issue of Abortion Rights back on the agenda. Members of Labour Youth and BODY distributed leaflets advertising a Pro Choice Meeting that is taking place this Saturday at 3pm in the Central Hotel. There was an excellent reaction from passers by with several people stopping and to lend their support.

The issue of reproductive rights has been ignored by the mainstream media and political establishment. The positive reaction to the pro choice stalls ran over the last few weeks show that there is a growing demand for the issue of abortion rights to be discussed and acted on. Now is a great opportunity for everyone who wants to get involved in pro choice activism to unite and work together.The next stages of the campaign will be planned at the open working meeting taking place on Saturday.

Related Link: http://www.labouryouth.ie/

Pro Choice Campaigning Meeting 27 January 2007.

2007-03-24T16:02:00.000Z

Pro Choice Campaigning
dublin gender and sexuality event notice Monday January 22, 2007 15:38 by Jane

Open Meeting

The meeting will take place at 3pm on Saturday 27th January in the Central Hotel, Exchequer St. "Pro-Choice Campaigning" is intended to be a working meeting as opposed to one involving speakers and questions. There will be a series of workshops designed to produce realistic and practical ideas about how we can advance the pro choice campaign in Ireland today.

It’s time to put the issue of Abortion Rights in Ireland back on the agenda. Abortion is an issue that politicians and newspapers don’t want to talk about anymore. In comparison to the years surrounding the referenda, column inches in the press devoted to the issue of reproductive rights have diminished remarkably. But the situation in Ireland hasn’t changed. The women who travel daily from this country to the UK for abortions continue to be ignored.Ireland is maintaining its position as one of the strictest countries in the world in terms of reproductive rights – only the Vatican City and Malta rival Ireland at European level.Successive governments have failed to legislate along the lines of the X Case decision, which ruled that abortion should be allowed in cases where the woman’s life was in danger.As a result, doctors are left in an unacceptable position, unsure of whether they are legally able to perform a termination in any cases at all. This situation will never change unless those of us who care about these issues become involved in a broad campaigning movement working for womens’ rights in Ireland. This will be a functional meeting, using working groups and facilitators designed to produce practical and workable ideas rather than merely a string of speakers.People of all political persuasions and none are encouraged to attend. A diversity of tactics, ideas and approaches is what is hoped will be produced by this meeting, in order to establish a broad based campaign aimed at improving and increasing reproductive rights in this country.AgendaWorkshop 1 – Abortion: A class analysis – Facilitated by Aileen O'Carroll (Workers' Solidarity Movement)Workshop 2 – Pro-choice outreach campaigning – Facilitated by Ailbhe Smyth (Womens' Education and Research Resource Centre, UCD)Workshop 3 – Direct Action – Facilitated by Aoife Cooke (RAG Collective) This agenda is open to change and suggestions on the day. The meeting will take place at 3pm on Saturday 27th January in the Central Hotel, Exchequer St.
(Hosted by Labour Youth - everyone is welcome)

Related Link: http://www.labouryouth.ie/

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/80548

Hot Press interview on rogue agency

2007-03-23T10:28:00.000Z

THE LYING GAME: ANTI-ABORTIONS CAMPAIGNERS AND THE WAR AGAINST TRUTH

Claiming to offer impartial family planning advice, rogue pregnancy information centres are pushing a pro-life slant. WORDS Daniel Finn

Fifteen years after the X case, Irish women are still being denied access to information about abortion. Now a group of pro-choice activists have launched a campaign against so-called "rogue" pregnancy information centres. They have highlighted an alarming pattern of distortion and manipulation by agencies offering advice to vulnerable young women.

"These agencies are rogue because they seem to be offering all the options, they're very much projecting an image of being pro-choice, you're going to be drawn to them if you're considering abortion as an option," argues psychologist Sinead Ahern, one of the organisers of the campaign. "They don't say explicitly that they think abortion is a bad thing and they disapprove of it, but they manipulate women into thinking abortion is bad and try to manipulate them out of making a choice to have an abortion, rather than giving them the facts of the matter."

The activists have targeted the self-styled Women's Resource Centre, a clinic based on Dorset Street in north Dublin. The centre has the largest advertisement in the "family planning" section of the Golden Pages (dwarfing the IFPA's ad), under the name A Choice for Women. The ad promises "all options". It also mentions links between the centre and other clinics in London, Liverpool and Manchester.

"We found the names of two alleged rogue agencies, A Choice for Women and the British Alternatives Pregnancy Services," says Sinead Ahern. "When women from our group phoned up the two numbers, we realised that they were both directing people to the same place on Dorset Street." The two agencies are the only ones in the phonebook that don't give an address. A number of women involved in the pro-choice group made appointments with the Women's Resource Centre, saying that they were pregnant. Sinead describes their experiences as "disturbing".

"They give false medical information and manipulate women through fear," she insists. "Any counselling agency will tell you its aim has to be to empower women and guide them to making a choice for themselves. There's nothing more disempowering for women than giving them false information and that's what this agency does."

One of the women who went to the Dorset Street clinic made a recording of her one-hour session with the agency's counsellor, a copy of which has been given to HOT PRESS. She was repeatedly told that she would place herself at risk of contracting breast cancer if she went ahead with any decision to have an abortion. "The risk of breast cancer almost doubles after one abortion," she was told... "Your risk of breast cancer rises significantly.. . every woman who has an abortion her risk of breast cancer rises... you're the one that's going to have to go away and get up in the stirrups and risk breast cancer which is already in your family." Finally she was assured that "if you decide to continue with the pregnancy you'll have protected yourself for life from breast cancer."

RELIGIOUS RIGHT WING

She was also given an information sheet, which described psychological effects of abortion, including "suicidal impulses", "preoccupation with death", "inability to forgive self" and "feeling of dehumanization". Although the literature states that women who have had abortions experience "thwarted maternal instincts" and "intense interest in babies", it also claims that they are much more likely to abuse any future children they may have - a suggestion that is entirely without foundation in experience or research. Another sheet which makes a completely fictitious link between abortion and breast cancer concludes: "The saying 'God always forgives, man sometimes forgives, nature never forgives' may be a good example in this case."

The agency behind the Dorset St. clinic has used several different names in the past. Between 1995 and 1999, it operated as the Aadam's agency, which also had a large ad in the Golden Pages giving readers the impression that it offered abortion information. The Aadam's agency was forced to shut down after a High Court ruling that its founder had unlawful custody of a young mother's child. But it soon resurfaced as the Women's Counselling Network, and later Alpha. The Alpha name was ditched after a radio documentary by a Newstalk journalist exposed its practices. The journalist recorded the advice she was given by the agency's counsellor, after making an appointment.

While the name may have changed, it appears that the nature of the clinic has not. The evidence of the radio documentary is almost identical to the recording made last month and given to HOTPRESS. The same woman asked the same questions and gave the same advice in almost every detail - often repeating her lines word-for-word. Some figures associated with the clinic have been politically active on the Irish religious right-wing. Eamon Murphy, named by the Examiner as the head of the Aadam's centre, ran for the Euro Parliament in 1994 and 1999 as a radical anti-abortion candidate. Michael Larkin stood as a candidate for the Christian Solidarity Party in 2002 in both Dublin and Tipperary. The Dorset St. clinic's owner is registered as Michael O'Lorchain.

Sinead Ahern wants the government to intervene and regulate the agencies offering advice to pregnant women. "One step that could be taken would be to strictly regulate the people who call themselves counsellors," she argues. "People working in this clinic present themselves as qualified professionals, but what right do they actually have to be giving pregnant women advice? A code of practice for counsellors could make a big difference."

The campaigners are planning to highlight other "rogue" centres they believe to be operating in Cork and Limerick. "There's such a stigma attached to crisis pregnancy in Ireland that a lot of women find themselves alone in that position and find that they can't talk to friends and families," says Ahern. "So agencies are very much a last port of call for women, and they especially tend to be the only port of call for a particularly vulnerable type of woman. Those are the people who need fair, objective advice more than anyone – but these rogue centres prey on their vulnerability."

2007-03-20T19:39:00.000Z

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) today found that governments have
a duty to establish effective mechanisms for ensuring that women have access to
abortion where it is legal. Judgement in the case of A polish woman , Alicja Tysiac
held that Poland was in breach of her human rights and awarded her 25,000 euros
in her case where she was left nearly blind.

The NGO ;- Centre for Reproductive rights http://www.reproductiverights.org
has the info and release.

AFC are putting the story out for immeadiate release so I just put the link in
here.

also I have printed out the Rogue agency report to give it to the professional
agencies to have a look at the issue of non-directional counselling.
[http://www.indymedia.ie]

The case is Alicja Tysiac V Poland.

Useful Links on International advocate groups

2007-03-19T19:05:00.000Z

I have mentioned the Columbian abortion challenge on Numerous occassions
both in AFC and www.indymedia.ie;

The history to the case and backround are available at these links:-

http://www.whrnet.org/docs/interview-roa-0507.html
http://www.internationalviewpoint.org/spip.php?article1155
http://www.womenslinkworldwide.org

other interesting alliances:-
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=34857
http://www.federa.org.pl/signatures
(this is the link to the federa organisation- Polish federation for women
and family planning who are fighting the LPR constitutional challenge
to the abortion rights. ( I did a piece on indy, but you will have to use the
search engine at the top right, all the articles on the issue are in there)

The indy womyn project for women activists is available from the womyn's
mailing list that you can google and the site is developing nicely. it is open to
contributing and activist women within the IMC family of writers.

Wil update this when I have a chance, other interesting developments are
in Nicaragua and Portugal (both on Indy.ie)

AFC has links to most groups and general reproductive rights issues
are coming up all the time on the various women's sites.
I will research the list and add in here as soon as I have time.

More Pro Choice Direct Action

2007-03-18T03:15:00.001Z

Pro Choice Direct Action

Following the successful picket on Wednesday 7 March at the rogue crisis
pregnancy agency, a follow up action will be held on Saturday 24 March at 12
noon. To build for this action a leafleting session will be held outside the
GPO on Thursday 22 March at 5.30 pm.

Activities:

1. Leafleting at GPO Thursday 22 March at 5.30 pm (to be followed by Pro
Choice Direct Action Group meeting).

2. Picket at rogue crisis pregnancy agency, 50 Upper Dorset St. @ 12 noon,
Saturday 24 March.

Pat

Leaflet

2007-03-09T15:41:00.000Z

Today Thursday the 8th of March is InternationalWomen’s Day and 2007 makes this the 15th anniversary of the X case ruling. It is therefore an appropriate occasion to ask “What the fuck is going on?” with this Rogue Agency currently calling itself the “WRC” located at number 50 on Upper Dorset Street.

The “WRC” at number 50 on Upper Dorset Street is a rogue pregnancy counselling agency. It is a rogue agency because it masquerades as a pro-choice agency in order to deceive, misinform, and manipulate women who come here seeking an abortion in the pursuit of its pro-life agenda. “WRC” is what is currently written on the sign above the door but this rogue agency has operated, and continues to operate under numerous aliases. Founded in 1995 it operated until 1999 as the “Aadams Women Centre” when it was forced to close after a scandal concerning
illegal adoptions. It then began operating as the “Women’s Counselling Network”. There was then a further media scandal concerning a woman who attended this rogue agency and subsequently had her appointment at an abortion clinic in Holland cancelled by someone who falsely claimed to be her boyfriend. This rogue agency currently advertises in the Golden Pages through two separately branded ‘fronts’. These fronts are called “Choice for Women” and “British Alternative Pregnancy Services”. When ever a woman responds to either of these two different advertisements, which are deliberately designed to give the misleading impression
of representing a pro-choice agency, they end up with an appointment here at number 50 on Upper Dorset Street. Every time a particular brand alias is exposed this rogue agency changes it, so remember the address that remains the same! The “WRC” is not the only rogue agency operating in Ireland. “Ask Majella” is another known rogue agency that also advertises in Dublin’s Golden Pages but operates at a location in Limerick.

The Misinformation and Deception of the Rogue Agency at 50 Upper Dorset St
This rogue agency misinforms women that it is impossible to have an abortion before eight weeks, even though an abortion during this period is cheaper and safer.
They also falsely claim that there is no such thing as a medical abortion and that all abortions are therefore surgical, even though a medical abortion is when a drug is administered to end pregnancy. In England medical abortions are performed up until 9 weeks.
Having falsely asserted that all abortions are surgical abortions they then claim that this surgery puts the woman’s life at risk. This is a gross overstatement of the small risk of complications associated with any surgical procedure. There are similar risks of complications with carry a pregnancy to full term.
The agency demands that a woman seeks an unnecessary ultrasound at a private hospital before information about abortion services will be disclosed. The agency has no intention of providing such information, it simply seeks to delay the woman’s plans by weeks and cause additional expense to be incurred. Three weeks later the agency will try to use the ultrasound image in a further attempt to try to get the woman to reconsider her course of action.
They misinform pregnant women that this is their only opportunity to have a child because abortion causes sterility. Abortion terminates a pregnancy not fertility!
They falsely claim that abortion causes depression, even though abortion can be an empowering choice that improves self-esteem for women faced with the truly depressing prospect of living with an unwanted pregnancy and unwanted children. If this agency really cared about women’s mental health then they’d probably offer support instead of manipulating them through lies into fear and guilt.
They misinform that abortion puts the woman’s life at risk because it causes a 90% increase to the risk of breast cancer, yet no major cancer organisation in the world believes that there is a link between abortion and breast cancer. If a woman won’t describe abortion as “killing my own baby” then they are pronounced “psychologically unfit” to have an abortion because you are supposedly in denial if you describe abortion in any other [ie. less pro-life] way.
They confuse abortion with rape by describing abortion as a ‘hostile penetration’, manipulating the real recent trauma of rape victims seeking an abortion. They have even insisted that rape cannot cause pregnancy, saying, it must be your boyfriend's child!
They also have claimed that abortion leads to both ‘promiscuity’ and ‘frigidity’!

day one

2007-03-08T15:33:00.000Z

day one of this blog's existance. fittingly, our first pro-choice direct action is taking place in two hours time on the rogue pregnancy agency on dorset street. happy international women's day everyone x