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I WASN’T AT the Dail last Wednesday night. I wasn’t there on Thursday night either. And though I was heartened to see the protesters in front of the Dail, reminding TDs about the women they are representing, my reality couldn’t have felt farther away from the Dail.
That Wednesday was my first day of the week as an Abortion Support Network phone volunteer – meaning that for the next week, I would be answering calls from women who were seeking practical information and financial support about accessing an abortion in England.
My first call on Wednesday was from a woman who was frantic because her abusive partner had stolen her passport. “He’s told me he’ll kill me if I have an abortion,” she told me. In all the Dail debates, I never once heard discussion about the real and substantial risk to life a pregnant woman might face from a partner. As a result, I walked the woman through the process of flying without a passport. She cried with relief when we told her we’d be able to give her a small grant towards the price of her procedure.
The woman I spoke to on Thursday night was far from hysterical. The mother of four young children, she explained to my quite calmly that her husband was out of work and relying on benefits, she was a stay at home mother and she was terrified that she’d be unable to feed her children if she brought a baby into the home. In fact, she was already skipping meals to make sure her children had fresh fruit. She then explained to me the various plans she had for trying to induce her own miscarriage. “You have literally saved my life”, she told me.
I remembered hearing Peter Matthews talking about supporting women with crisis pregnancies. Funny that his “conscience” didn’t bother him when agreeing with Fine Gael austerity cuts – cuts to services which would have made all the difference for this woman in continuing her pregnancy.
A woman called me the next day, almost incoherent. I was the first person she had told about her foetus’s diagnosis of Edward’s Syndrome. How much courage must it take to call a stranger in another country on the phone and beg them for advice and money to terminate your pregnancy? She asked me if she’d have to tell her GP that she had an abortion. I explained that her GP was required to give her post-abortion care, regardless of his feelings on the morality of abortion. She was emphatic – he was active in the pro-life movement and she felt that she would never be able to trust him with her care if she informed him of it.
How long did it take TDs to push a button against an amendment to include fatal foetal abnormalities in the Protection of Human Life Bill? Five seconds? Ten? This woman will have to spend the rest of her pregnancy constantly waiting for a miscarriage. The grand pronouncement of Fidelma Healy-Eames on the sanctity of life seem to belong to a different world than this sobbing woman afraid to tell her doctor, her friends and family that she found continuing her pregnancy to be too painful.
I’m frequently asked if there’s a typical woman who calls the ASN phone. The short answer is, yes and no. There are certain things all the woman have in common – primarily that they are all in extreme financial difficulties (after all – why else would you throw yourself on a stranger’s mercy for an abortion). In a representation of the current situation in Ireland, many are relying on a greatly reduced income.
Many are mothers, who speak about their love for their children and fear that another child would hurt their family. Many are in committed relationships. Several are rape survivors, some of them very young (I remember the mother who fed her three children beans on toast for three weeks to raise EUR200 towards the cost of her 15 year old’s abortion.) The one thing they all have in common is that they are far from the stereotype of women who have abortions to go on a foreign holiday or to fit in a nice dress for a wedding. Women have sold family jewellery, risked eviction by skipping rent payments, sold their televisions, cut off their land lines, sold their cars and returned Christmas presents to pay for abortions.
What the people debating the law fail to acknowledge is that all their arguing doesn’t matter. The law doesn’t matter because it is a proven fact that making abortion illegal or restricting it in any way doesn’t stop abortion but simply makes abortion an issue of economic inequality. Wealthy women can easily get a flight to England and stay to receive consistent aftercare.
Women barely eeking out a living to feed their family, women who will be most affected by cuts, these are the women for whom the idea of “choice” becomes less about ideal options and more about survival. Women who, if denied access to a legal abortion, will wash down extra birth control pills with bottles of gin and try to crash their cars to miscarry. Women who are currently relying on aftercare from GPs who at best, look the other way at their “miscarriages” and at worst, condemn and shame them.
The legislation will have no effect on the lives
Last year, 12 women a day travelled to England to access an abortion – the Abortion Support Network only heard from 361 of them. The legislation passed by the Dail after so much discussion will have no effect on the lives of the 12 women who will travel today, or the 10 women ASN heard from this week. They’ll get on buses, ferries and planes tomorrow morning – still afraid to tell anyone in their lives that they too are “getting the boat to England.”
Hopefully, some women will benefit from the legislation passed on Thursday , if even one suicidal young girl in care or cancer survivor can receive treatment at home. But for the majority of women on the other side of the phone, only a broader debate will even remotely relate to their lives and their choices.
Nick Beard is a phone volunteer, host and tweeter for the Abortion Support Network – an all volunteer organisation which provides practical and financial support for women living in Ireland and Northern Ireland travelling to England to access an abortion. Follow them on Twitter at @abortionsupport or visit the website at www.abortionsupport.org.uk.
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Difference is Donnie boy is that Bill ain’t running for president and that Bill never got caught… You are and you did…
@Poole Hyde: His wife used state resources to cover for her husband. She’s running for president.
eh Bill did get caught. caught rotten in fact. more than once.
Never once on mic talking like that.. and he still ain’t running for president…
True. and bad form of trump to bring that up anyway.
Danny Williams, Bill Clintons alleged illegitimate son… https://goo.gl/images/SNEMsv
What is illegitimate about a child? A disgusting term that has rightly been abolished in Irish law.
Surprised there aren’t acres of footage like this. He’s been in enough tv stations and what not,and seems to like to talk
Eh, really? Because all Bill has ever been so much as charged with is lying about getting a blow job. Hate to break it to you but the party’s over for Donnie Boy..
@thejynxeffect
Funnily enough neither Clinton has ever even been questioned with regards rape.
How’s Trump’s upcoming rape trial coming?
He did not have sexual relations with that woman…except he did.
Crimson, no one cares about Bill’s old news any more. You can scrape all you like, the bottom of the barrel was hit quite some time ago.
Lol, it looks like the barrel just got a little deeper with these released emails.
“I apologise IF anyone was offended” And he says he is not a politician.
Im sure Hillary’s camp had this on file for a while, leave it for a few weeks before the Election for clouding voters minds.
I hope the Donald has something up his sleeve for Hillary.. Soon.
My hunch is that Julian Assange is gonna be that trick card ..by default.
WikiLeaks are gonna pull out some real good dirt on the Clinton’s… Just watch.
@Mr KnowitAll: they hajydt released the podesta files. He is Clinton campaign manager. Uranium one and Russia mentioned. Between them and this with trump. Interesting weekend ahead. The Donald strikes again.
They have just released.
Perfectly timed deflection -
If there is anything that Trump could say that would stop some people supporting him……….anything at all?
So he was looking to use the strategically timed release of information of dubious origin to damage his opponent and his supporters complain that he’s foiled not only by similar tactics but with his own words.The phrase “hoisted by his own petard springs to mind” … And just wait until those women he claims to have groped, and he flat out said he’s groped women on that tape, come forward….. Actually as I type this one has come out claiming it happened her in 2010 and this is not some money grabber either…
Padraig, so you love trump!
When Hillary brings this up Trump can legitimately respond by saying “I did not have sex with that woman.” LOL!
Locker room boy talk much worse than leaking gov secretes on un-secure server, stealing millions from Haitian survivors, stealing from charity foundation, husband raping women and then threatening the victims, lying to congress, not raising a finger to defend Americans getting killed at consulate, lying about sniper fire, - the fecking list is endless. Trump is not a complete saint but nothing compares to the corruption of the Clintons.
@Richard III:
She was appointed to the case by the judge & she also wasn’t actually having a laugh at the expense of the victim. Very poor effort man..
But this isn’t locker room boy talk Chris is it? This is how he behaves. He actually does this. But so good of you to excuse a serial abuser of women because he is so vile and to make utterly unsupported allegations about Hillary. Was Jimmy Saville misunderstood as well?
Yes Francis, she was laughing and bragging in that smug Hillary way. She dosen’t give two f#@ks for women’s rights.
@John R. You must really really hate Bill Clinton then?
Mr know it all, why haven’t they done it by now? Is it because assange has nothing. Btw, Assange is another con artist.
A vile man.
Yep, two vile candidates https://youtu.be/Fgcd1ghag5Y
Hillary, the champion feminist https://youtu.be/jJ03Nw7ohww
“I apologise if anyone was offended” His favourite non – apology. The man’s (using the term loosely) a disgrace.
Hard to believe he could soon be running a country which is mainly populated by extremely polite and pleasant people who would rightly be abhorred by such a tirade.
@Pat O Neill: Being serious or sarcastic there Pat?
@Pat o Neill..would Hillary be one of those extremely polite people.
I’m serious. The average Joe on the street in the US would run a mile from Trumps ignorant rants and swagger – it’s just so uncomfortable for ordinary people. I was there years ago during a much more moderate presidential race and total strangers in shops were actually apologising to me for all the uncouth fuss going on. They are mostly sick of all the hype and constant media barrage from both candidates . This latest clip is just the last straw. What a vulgar lout this guy is. I think most republicans, certainly the ones I know, will be holding their noses when they cast their vote this year.
Good lad..if u can endorse either of them..you ain’t got a nose.
And that’s why almost half the country supports him? It’s not only Trump with the sexism and racism problem, the US has one too.
He’s a vile pig and his followers are disgusting vermin.
I agree with the first part of your comment, but the second part is bang out of order. Bigotry is not accepted from either side of the political spectrum.
Except that his followers support a vile, misogynistic racist who thinks that tax evasion is great…kind of makes them seem a bit vile doesn’t it?
So the right wing doesn’t accept bigotry, but accept Trump who you yourself just admitted is bigoted…
Why are people always so desperate to make excuses for racists and sexists? RNC and the political right in the US created Trump.
@Chris Cantwell: It’s not bigotry to make remarks about people due to their actions. People choose to support this disgusting human being. You don’t choose your skin colour, sexuality, etc. I’ve never made the same remarks about any other candidates supporters.Try again.
I’m not right wing, so I don’t know were you’re getting that from. I’m not defending trump in anyway shape or form.
Calling supporters of either side “disgusting vermin” because of there political view is bigotry.
@Chris Cantwell: It’s not because of their political view, it’s because of the person they are supporting.
@Philip Gerard: Still no excuse for calling Trump supporters Disgusting Vermin.
Straight out of the Jimmy Saville’s guide to being a celebrity! Grab them by the Pxxxy .
You’re right. It’s not an excuse, it’s a reason. He said he could shoot someone in public and his followers would still adore him, ergo, they are disgusting vermin. I refuse to recant and I’m not going to apologize for labeling the low-lifes to whom he’s given a platform.
I’m so happy now.This HAS to be the end of Trump . he’s nothing but a sleaze bag. Wonder what his children really think of him.
I find it ironic that it was a microphone that was working that finally sunk Trump.
Well he was sliding in the polls but this was a coup de grace. This just finished him.
@James O Donoghue:
Not so! Donald Trump is up in latest pollyesterday.
—”The daily Rasmussen Reports White House Watch poll found Trump slightly increased his lead over Hillary Clinton, and now has 43 percent of the vote nationwide compared to Clinton’s 41 percent. That’s a bit better than the 42-41 lead he had the day before—”
Keep pulling ahead Donald Trump!
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/trump-up-2-in-latest-rasmussen-poll/article/2603789?custom_click=rss
Even if accurate (polls differ) that was yesterday before this.
Sorry Patrick but your crush is gonna lose and fade back into the obscurity of reality TV and failed businesses.
While I have you though…why are ye such a big fan of him? No hyperbole and Hilary bashing, a clear and concise explanation of the policies he has proposed and the political experience he holds that will make him a good POTUS.
It’s a lesser of two evils type thing.
@James O Donoghue:
And forgotten by tomorrow;such is the regularity of the onslought of scurility on Donald Trump.
You’re a very strange man Patrick.
Boo hoo Patrick…people aren’t being super-dooper nice to poor old Trump.
You sound like a tween screaming on YouTube because someone made fun of Zayn Malik.
What’s it about Trump gets you all hot & bothered? Is it the wig? The orange skin? The fact that he makes all your own prejudices seem valid because he’s some quasi famous dude in the TV saying it instead of just angry white dudes on Reddit?
Because guys never banter like that, ever.
Ah c’mon. A 60 year old man using the phrase “grab them by the pussy” is not lads banter.
Quick give her a calculator (banter).
She’s need one not only to do the math on the dates but to calculate her alimony…. She’s going to win and win bigly.
Poole hyde you have all the best words…
Couldnt see our Enda using language like that
He wouldn’t know what half those words even mean..
If Enda – or any of our TDs – was caught speaking like this they would in all likelihood resign immediately. Worst case, they would not retain their seats in the next election. We accept a lot of flaws in our politicians but Trump has gone so far beyond flawed so many times he really should not even be connsider for POTUS….
I’m not sure. Remember the drunken TD Tom Barry grabbing Deputy Collins the evening of an abortion debate of all things. Granted she didn’t claim sexual assault but it was still something he should have resigned over.
@Poole Hyde: I had forgotten about that (maybe subconsciously erased from my my memory??) But, yes, I’m wrong.
On that note, I think that he should have resigned, and I would ever vote for Tom Barry (not my constituency, maybe he’s a great person who made ‘one mistake’???)..
As vile as the sub humans who support him
Not very nice but not shocking either ..
Jesus. Guys here slagging Bill Clinton? Like Trump wouldn’t hit on an intern if he got in the White House? FFS- it would be a given according to him.
What an absolute perverted chauvinistic pig of the highest degree. Anybody who isn’t repulsed by this man needs their bloody heads checked.
He is a bit of a sap. She is a cold blooded killer. Russia and the US are on the brink of war. She gets in its all over. He gets in, he opens hotels in Russia and the Middle East. The people that actually run the country will carry on running it, with one big plus… no war! Stop believing the president of American is anything more than a puppet!
America and Russia are not on the brink of war. Pure hyperbole. Yes there is some tension but close to war…….. Ha ha ha ha
And Hillary’s ever so close relationship with devout Muslim Brotherhood operative Huma Abedin who Hillary admitted taking all her advice from concerning the Mid East when Sec. of State under Hussein Obama. What of that relationship and its promise for all our futures if Hillary/Huma gets to be POTUS.
Take off the tin hat ye gombeen
Keep spinning BS but be careful you will fall over! Defending the indefensible
Come on now Bryan. Would you ever leave Pat alone? It’s not fair on him. He loves Donald. That’s the be all and end all of it. He can’t take it that his beautiful paragon of perfection is not being worshipped as deserved. And if Pat didn’t defend this sort of thing, sure Donald would be on his own. Be charitable – let him have his tantrum. Sure no one else is really paying him any attention. It’s more of a hug he needs.
Good luck and …….. no thanks!
This smear tactic is in response to the Clintonites haven to withdraw TV adds covering 4 days bought in Florida to be run while The Hurricane was bashing Florida. Donald Trump called it an evil ,callous plan and Hillary was forced to withdraw the adds. It bucked up Florida Republicans however and Hillary will be drowned out of it in the polls.
Carry on Donald Trump-to The White House!
Lol…there’s no smear tactics against him, these are literal words out of his mouth. Bigots like you and Trump are wild in your wilful disconnect from reality. You’ll say all the most disgusting bigoted things you want, make wild generalisations about entire groups of people and then complain about how everyone’s so easily offended.
Yet when people so much as show your own words to others it’s a “smear tactic” and you’re the victim. Well I can’t say I’m surprised you’re a Trump fan with that level of ignorance. But I’ve always wondered is it as blissful as they say?
What an opportunity this election was for the Republicans, the best they could muster was Donald Trump. Hillary is certainly not without fault and very beatable in an election and the Republicans give us Donald Trump. Muppets will vote for him. “Grab them by the Pxxxy” Is the world going mad? People are actually doing their utmost of defending this vile clown and want him to be POTUS
@Bryan Kelly:
‘There’s no smear tactics against Donald Trump’! That merits laugh of the year.
You are just another sourpus classless calumniator like a few others here who resort to ad homs galor as soon as someone posts something you don’t agree with..
Clean up your act boy!
I’m impressed Patrick…that was a whole bunch of buzzwords that you don’t seem to actually understand and used wrong. Just throwing them out there does not a point make.
But amidst the wreckage of your attempt to sound superior I somehow managed to make out that you’re claiming the smear campaign is SO serious that to suggest there isn’t one is pure fantasy.
Again, his own words aren’t a smear campaign, they’re his own words. A smear campaign would be like the RNC & Donald continuing to claim crimes by Clinton that numerous investigations have roundly refuted.
But yeah…once again Trump’s the victim.
@Bryan Kelly:
You are the one that’s puffed up with superiorty trying to fault me on syntax in last post. But my point in is valid in prev. post contrasting callous Clinton’s attempt to corner the heavy number of viewers concerned about an approaching natural catasrophy with something in Donald Trump’s past 16 yrs back. Callous Clinton had to withdraw and it the attempt will cost her votes in Florida. That’s what make the likes of puffed ones like you resort to ad homs. However, I welcome the ad homs in this political contest because as all know the ‘DEPLORABLES’ remark by Hillary cost her lots and thus likewise will lower yor stature on here Your ad homs plus your puffed up attitude displayed in attempting to criticize me on syntax will show others here what a pretentious bore you are..
If the republicans put forward Kitch or Rubio, the race would be essentially over now
Lol…they’re not ad hominem attacks. Seriously, go learn what that actually means, before your next reply.
America has only one solution. Vote for which ever candidate you least hate and then vote for the other party down the ballot. That way at least they’ll be heavily restricted when they do get in
You’d think he was Chief of the IRA or something, responsible for disgusting needless vindictive murders of innocent people who simply got in the way of business and had nothing to do with nationalism.
It was just locker room banter.
The American electorate are smarter than that – they know he doesn’t condone needless murder.
Trump all the way, if you are a True Republican.
@alphanautica
Poor trolling. Try something original instead of the same nonsensical sound bytes and disproven nonsense. 1/10 (I gave you one because at least you used an analogy)
He’s said that as a star he can force himself on women.Couple that with the ongoing child rape lawsuit and we’re into Jimmy Savile territory. I’ll bet the woman he’s talking about here will be reaching for her lawyers, right after she’s done reaching for the sick bucket and I’d say there’s no way she’s not physically ill watching this.
He didn’t use the word “force”. Celebrities are always being accused of rape by people looking for money in lawsuits.
“I just start kissing them. I don’t even wait.” like it or not it sounds like he’s describing a sexual assault
“Grab them by the pussy”… His exact words…
Bryan apart from abusing people do you have any point to make?
That is the idea you make a cogent point
@john003
If alphanautica had had a valid point to respond to I might have afforded them the courtesy.
And if you were doing anything other than trying to invalidate someone who’s all over this article making cogent points, because sometimes he just loves to mess with the nonsensical, gibberish spouting Trump supporters who have no cogent points of their own, then I’m gonna have to give you a 1.5/10. You lost a half point for omitting a comma that was vital to the tone of your comment.
Thanks for playing.
Not that it was needed but ‘Coffin, meet nail’
In fairness not the worst things that he has ever said and there’s plenty of rope for him to hang himself. Personally I think his policies (and the glaring gaps in his policies) say more about his candidacy.
God bless America
Bill Clinton was a saint of course.
Is he running for president? No? Good, then what the hell was your point?
If you wanna talk about the candidates’ partners, let’s go.
I’ll start. How can we expect Trump to keep America happy if he couldn’t keep the previous three wives happy?
Whatever about keeping it happy how can he be expected to remain faithful to it. I’m not exactly joking either. He’s already called for Russia to hack his political opponents…
You have an extraordinary agenda against Trump/ Republicans
Yes! How dare they report HIS OWN WORDS. They’re trying to paint him as a bad person by reporting the exact words that came out of his mouth and were caught on tape.
What kind of journalism relies on direct quotation? The audacity!
Its damage limitation at this stage. People should ask themselves which one of the two has the potential to cause less damage. Looking at events in Syria this next few months could culminate in a Bay of Pigs scenario. Very dangerous times. This US race has hopefully taught the US one thing. Money and influence does not equate to quality candidates. Everything needs to be reformed there in relation to politics and the election race for presidential candidates. Please shorten it. Its excruciating to watch..
Seriously Anyone that doesn’t realise Trump is there to make That super psychotic woman look good , needs their head examined!
I dont believe it with Clintons responce “This is horrific. We cannot allow this man to become president.” How she calls it horiffic i dont know . She should be well used to this sort of behaviour with Bills antics and shes still with him .
Seriously is no-one else getting the fact that Trump is there only to make that wicked witch look better!!
Apparently not, as nobosy jas responded to your previous ent from an hour prior to this one. Try again in another hour?
Mexico is a beautiful thing
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