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A PRO-LIFE group has alleged that some women are being ‘coerced’ into having abortions.
The Society for the Protection of the Unborn (SPUC) made the comment in a statement where it also acknowledged its role in providing information to a young man who took a recent High Court case.
He took the case to try to prevent his girlfriend from travelling to England for an abortion, as he believed she was doing so under duress from members of her family.
The man subsequently withdrew his application.
On Friday, the High Court heard that the man had read an affidavit from the woman’s family and was satisfied with it. The court was told that “matters will continue as at present” with the young woman’s pregnancy. The application was struck out.
SPUC said that the man “is extremely grateful to the pro-life groups” which helped him, which included SPUC and Women’s Net crisis pregnancy agency. It said they both had “provided him with advice and support” when he approached them earlier in the week.
They said that the man was “desperate to find help”.
After discussing the situation with SPUC and Women’s Net, it became clear that a legal intervention to prevent her from being taken out of Ireland was the only realistic option. He was then put in touch with a legal team in Dublin who was able to act on his behalf.
Liam Gibson, SPUC’s development officer in Northern Ireland, said that the case “highlights the very serious issue of women being coerced into having abortions”.
Despite the slogans, women frequently undergo abortions because they feel they have no choice. No woman should be compelled by parents, a husband, boyfriend or even financial pressures to have an abortion.
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And some women are being threatened into going through with unwanted/dangerous pregnancies BY groups like this.
Flat out Lie.
I love that scene in Juno when Juno and the protester are actually classmates and friends..
Some people are coerced into having children. Like Mary for example. Imagine an angel appearing and telling you that have to give birth to the saviour of mankind. Talk about pressure.
It was an offer she couldn’t refuse.
AND without epidural. Harsh.
Of the 4 women I’ve known who had a termination were not in any way pushed by a husband partner or family it was THEIR OWN CHOICE
Abortion doesn’t happen unholy catholic ireland.
(fingers in ears la la la la la)
(as 50 women as week leave the country for a short holiday)
What more proof do we need that it doesn’t happen. People post some crap..!!! Of course it’s a real problem as is women that want to keep their baby but the man tells her “it’s your choice, but whatever you decide, I want nothing to do with it, you’re on your own”
yes kill the baby and more money for drink drugs and holidays fair play to you
As soon as a woman has a kid she’s called a sponger, letch on society getting her free house and endless other stupid urban myths , this country is a contradiction in itself
Jim crawl back in 2your cave. .
i cant get in with u
While I can’t obviously comment on the actual case itself as I know little apart from what was in the news, it is a bit hilarious for the SPUC to say that ‘no woman should be compelled to have an abortion’, reasoning that the woman should not be forced to do something against her wishes, unless of course it is her wish to actually have an abortion, in which case the official line would presumably be ‘is there anything to be said for another rosary?’.
The carry on and disgraceful response of pro life / anti choice people online yesterday to an emotional column by Carol Hunt was nothing short of sickening! Pro life are “pro woman”, well as long as your emotional experience suits their agenda!
Be more specific. I saw people criticising her article but what else happened?
Deluded bunch of religious fanatics.
If they were religious , their tone would be far more forgiving ….
Are you taking the urine?
Extracting the Michael?
The door swings both ways, how may women are coerced not to have an abortion?
Comment of the week.
Exactly – the coercion is the problem.. But it’s ok if you are coercing someone to have a baby apparently..
so many babys saved thang God
At least there is one thing pro life and pro-choice people can agree on. As a pro choice person, I am horrified at the thoughts of a woman being coerced into having an abortion. In my opinion its up there with a woman being coerced into having a child! It’s a shame these pro life groups don’t feel the same about the latter
+100
Well said. Why are we not worried by women being forced to have pregnancies and children? All those bible badgers don’t worry too much about incest or rape
Predictive text from the Vatican!
I think we should rename this debate religion vs reality
A lot of prolifers are perfectly capable of being irrational and uncompassionate without being religious… But it does help!
SPUC take the cake, though. Have you seen their views on masturbation? Sure, it’s a sin, even for IVF! Think of the poor sperm which won’t get to help an infertile couple have children!
I don’t understand why they argue. If you don’t want an abortion, don’t have one. If you are a doctor and don’t want to perform one, again don’t do it.
Their stupid ideals are holding others back.
Women are adults and very capable of making their own decisions. Was disgusted too to see this debate being made by mostly men in the Dail and Seanad in recent days. It really isn’t the business of men to dictate what women should do with their bodies. At least not until evolution inflicts pregnancy and all that entails for nine months on us.
Yet if it were the men who carried the babies there is no way it’d be under debate. The whole thing incenses me. I am not “pro-abortion” I believe that women who choose to have a termination should be able to do so in comfort and safety, somewhere close to home and with a GP’s referral. That is quite possibly the most basic human need. Support. I don’t believe I would have a termination, that is my choice, but in no way should I obstruct someone else. All this pro-life stuff. Can’t have a termination, can’t choose to die when terminally ill. It’s yourself and your family that bare the brunt of these decisions, society will not breakdown.
Desperation and a losing argument springs to mind.
Goodness it’s this a news web site or a home for pro-abortion nutter? Abortion equals compassion takes some beating…
Ah go on go on go on shur you’ll have an abortion.go on go on go on just a quick one in your hand…
And a lot of women that want abortions in Ireland are coerced into NOT having them. So there seem to be two big problems here, I am all for fixing BOTH.
SPUC off!
it must be desperate in a relationship where a woman gets pregnant and her husband is deliriously happen but she then reveals she wants an abortion
it must be desperate in a relationship where a woman gets pregnant and her husband is deliriously unhappy because they barely feed the 5 children they have (2 special needs) but she cannot have an abortion in this country because someone thinks a zygote is the same as a full grown human-being.
The situation I gave is a potential marriage splitter! I said it before and I’ll say it again! It’s very easy avoid a pregnancy through consensual sex
While having a child one person doesn’t want tends to keep a marriage together?
Tends to keep a Marrige together when the man wants it but the woman doesn’t? Lol
Nope. Tends to fray either way – which kind of disproves your point that abortion is the cause of the dissolution of marriage, not different views on what they want in life…
I’ll give u an example! If a couple agreed they both wanted kids, she became pregnant and then announces she wanted an abortion! That there Is potentially a Marrige splitter
While if they became pregnant, she decided she didn’t want it and they had the child due to lack of abortion access, they’d live happily ever after?
Right.
The vibe I get from u is “her her her” the whole time! I just said they both AGREED that they wanted kids
They don’t both want kids if she wants an abortion.
I’ll try it once more! Like most couples they had a discussion and agreed they wanted kids in life! She got pregnant, he’s delighted! She then reveals she’s having an abortipn after alreading agreeing as a couple they wanted children! she goes ahead with it, he can’t accept the decision! Potential Marraige splitter, understand?
I’m saying that if you make abortion illegal, she will still be unhappy to have the child. She’d still resent having to continue the pregnancy, regardless of the legality of abortion – unless your argument is that women who were perfectly happy to be pregnant suddenly decide to have an abortion if available.
So imagine a couple decide together they don’t want any more children and the man should have a vasectomy. He changes his mind and doesn’t go through with it – that could be a marriage splitter, should be ban vasectomies?
I’ll keep it short I only agree with abortion in serious circumstances
Oh, so you could care less about people’s marriages. Should you not have said that at the beginning?
I could say to you that u only see it from the women’s point if view! As I stated already its all “her her her” with u! It takes 2 to create a child and all I was pointing out was what I said could be a potential Marraige splitter not the ins and outs and the rights and wrongs of legalising abortion
Yes – as the woman will be the one who’s pregnant, it does make sense that I consider her views.
So you’d ban vasectomies? If a man had one against his partner’s views, it might end a marriage. If not, then I’m afraid you’re a hypocrite.
U don’t “consider” her views! It’s all her her her with u! As I said already a pregnancy is easily avoidable and most “unwanted” kids come about from stupidity and carelessness! yes it’s a horrible act if done against his partners will
So you’d prosecute him? And no, I’d consider the man’s views, but until he is going to risk all kinds of health conditions, possibly lose his job due to pregnancy and carry the foetus for 9 months, he doesn’t get a final veto.
And so what’s your point? That careless and stupid people should be forced to parent purely as a punishment? You don’t seem to actual care at all about children who would suffer as a result.
Children “suffer” as a result? What horse manure! I know girls who got pregnant “accidentally” and are now great mothers!
Macca band aid babies do not work
“Accidentally?” So it wasn’t an accident? And I’m guessing those women wanted the pregnancy (since they continued it). So your argument is force them to stay pregnant and it will all work out. That explains why child abuse doesn’t exist… oh. wait.
Lol so ur saying all women/girls who get pregnant through stupidity/carelessness have abortions overseas? No they don’t!
Macca, what a load of meaningless argumentation. You never agreed to something then changed your mind after careful consideration? Ah no, I guess not, judging by how you argue, careful consideration is not something you are able for. Nevermind.
I never changed my mind anywhere! My stance on abortion is well known here as I have said it on numerous occasions
it should be a woman’s choice – either way
all u prolife’s and pro-abortion’s need to keep ur noses out of other people’s business
unless of course ur all willing to front up and feed the wee bastard and help with schooling, nappies etc etc etc
or a shoulder to cry on when she’s depressed about her loss
now who’s first to hand over money then???
Thank God for people like these groups…who are Really there to support women who find themselves in crisis pregnancies…they help the father, the mother and the child…to live. Need more people in the world like them.
Ya the support they offered to Carol Hunt yesterday was palpable, such Christians!
If they are so willing to support women during unwanted pregnancies, why don’t they provide financial support for those who choose to go abroad for a termination?
Luckily there’s no god to help them with their self righteous agenda
I must have missed the SPUC protest to increase the maternity benefit. You know, the kind of thing which would help women rather than lecturing them.
@diarmuid Where did Carol Hunt write that column?
Next thing they will park a truck with an anti-abortion ad outside a rape crisis centre. Oh wait that’s already happened. Where’s the marches against reductions in child benefits?? Crowd of hypocrites.
Back of the Sunday Indo yesterday Crashlin! Brilliant piece!
Oh yeah! It’s a real peer pressure thing. You know her friends around saying “come on! All the cool kids are doing it” -_-
A lot more are coerced and manipulated out of them.
Pro lifers say a lot of things. Most of it is absolute bollocks.
4000 irish women left for abortions
Hello wake up its happening
Pull your head out of the sand it’s happening
Not being evil or anything but im sure everyone on this forum has a little nephew or neice that they love or even their own little boy or girl. Look at them and ask yourself would you die for that child because I have a huge family andni would die for every single one of them. And all these selfish pro-choice people are too cold hearted and ignorant to give up their life for a poor little unborn baby.
So you’d die for the niece and nephew, but not your mum?
Hey you ignorant fool. If you want to, YOU die for them. I would rather the choice of risking one’s life would depend on the one risking it, not you.
Not everyone wants to be a parent. So why should they give their lives for the sake of a baby they never planned?
Or are women supposed to be martyrs by default?
My gran had 7 she should never had any as she hadn’t any motherly instincts
I hear some people are forced to go out drinking even if they don’t feel like it. Let’s ban alcohol! It’s clearly the party at fault in this situation.
More one-sided abortion rubbish.
SPUC. There’s a new one. Youth Defence must have rebranded themselves, knowing that they’ve failed to stop the will of the people.
No, SPUC have been around a while, I don’t think they are as active in Ireland, might be more UK..
I used to get coerced by wimmen a lot when I was younger. I still have fond memories of the dreadful experience.
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