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Bernadette
came to her local LIFE House desperate for help. Fleeing domestic violence,
pregnant with her third child, and with nowhere else to turn, she didn’t think
it would be possible to over-come longstanding issues and repair her
relationship with her family.
Her Support Plan worked on building confidence
and self-esteem and together with her Support Worker, Bernadette developed a
valuable network of friends and family to ensure she was happy and safe when she
was ready to leave our care.
*not real name
Abortion numbers remain too high; women must be offered more and better alternatives, says LIFE
Following the release today of the abortion statistics for 2010, LIFE released the following press release:
"The crisis pregnancy care and educational charity LIFE has repeated its call for better alternatives to abortion for women in crisis pregnancy. Abortions carried out in England and Wales rose slightly in 2010. This is a disappointing rise after significant falls in 2008 and 2009.
Michaela Aston, a LIFE spokeswoman, said: "At LIFE we see every abortion as a tragedy, and we work hard to provide positive alternatives for women and their families who find themselves in what seem like impossible situations. The rise in abortions in 2010 is a sign that society is still failing to meet the needs of women in crisis pregnancy.
“We are concerned that women are being rushed into abortion, as more and more women are having abortions earlier in pregnancy. It is vital that women are given time to think through their options, especially since data from other countries suggests that the introduction of “cooling off” periods before abortion can play an important role in reducing abortion rates, as women and their partners or families have more time to look at all their choices.
“We hope too that the government will resist pressure to liberalise the law on home abortions; such a move would further isolate women from networks of support, and risks trivialising abortion still further.
“It would also be a further indication that health authorities are not taking seriously the serious emotional and psychological consequences that many women experience after abortion.
“We are also worried by the small but noteworthy rise in abortion for disability, which is part of a long-term upward trend. Allowing abortion for disability right up to birth is something that many people rightly find unacceptable.
"Our hope for the future is that more and more women with crisis pregnancies are able to access LIFE's services - supported housing, life skills training and emotional support - and find out about the many different options available to them, options that respect the dignity and value of everyone involved in the situation, whether parent or unborn child."