How the U.K. Block Abortion
The annals of history would have us believe that women’s bodies have been policed by men for no other reason than for our own good.
Weak, feeble minded, hysterical women need men — great and powerful and decisive men — dictating the decisions that ultimately have no bearing — no consequence — on them and the daily discourse of their own lives. From expected, acceptable femininity to rules and regulations of menstruation, sexual pleasure, childbirth — the male gaze and dictation knows no bounds, and still today whether a woman has the right to choose the identity of ‘mother’.
With America, home of the free, tightening its ever-restrictive abortion laws, Northern Ireland, she of troubled and turbulent history is the only place in the U.K. still enforcing its own draconian laws.
In 2018 Northern Ireland’s bordering country, the Republic of Ireland, voted to repeal it’s 8th amendment — a bill stating that the life of the unborn was equal to the life of the mother. This repeal has meant that Ireland’s own abortion laws have been re-legislated allowing abortion during the first 12 weeks and later when a woman’s life or health is jeopardised or upon diagnosis of a fatal fetal abnormality.
Under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, abortion in Northern Ireland is illegal unless it causes a risk to the life of the mother, the mother’s mental health or a fetal abnormality. Abortion in cases of rape or incest is illegal with the maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Since 2017, the U.K. Government made hardship grants available to women of Northern Ireland, allowing them to travel to England to access terminations. Alleviating the financial burden of an abortion does not negate the logistical and emotional difficulties. A woman in an abusive relationship, a woman working, a woman with young children to care for — a Ryanair flight and a hotel stay — an easy decision does not make.
The DUP, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) are the joint leading party of Northern Ireland. Their policies are socially regressive, homophobic, climate denying. Led by Arlene Foster, the DUP came to the forefront of U.K. politics when ‘Theresa May failed to obtain a clear majority in the 2017 General Election. In order to move forward in power, the 10 DUP ministers were pulled in, sweetened by an extra billion pounds for Northern Ireland.
Under the peace talks of 1998, known as the Good Friday Agreement, Westminster agreed to devolve areas of governance to Northern Ireland and their new alliance. Amongst these transfers were Northern Ireland’s legislative power on Health; the Abortion policy was devolved in 2010. Every proposal brought forward to change it, be it fatal fetal abnormality or incest has been defeated in the Assembly, despite 70% of the population being in favour, according to a 2016 Amnesty International poll.
Under the deal Theresa May made with the DUP and in maintaining impartiality as the Good Friday Agreement requires, she will not interfere with Northern Ireland policies. This is not the first time England’s politicians have required the support of the DUP. In 2007 the Labour party moved to block extending abortion rights to the women of Northern Ireland. The then government asserted that the lack of support was due to risks of blocking within the House of Lords, although others propose Labour was in cahoots with the DUP in plans over terrorist detainees.
Of course, it is not just Northern Ireland in which abortion is illegal. Not just Northern Ireland that obstructs a woman’s autonomy over her own body, her physical, emotional and psychological health. But it is worth knowing that in policies passed in favour of the Conservative party with the DUP support from this moment, they are benefiting from the torture and oppression of many women and young girls. It’s important that in our outrage of other world leaders denying self-dominion, we hold our own administrations accountable in alliance.
