LIFE, the UK’s leading pro-life charity, says that figures out today showing Britain as the abortion capital of Europe, are clear evidence that the government’s teenage pregnancy strategy is a ‘spectacularly expensive failure’.
LIFE spokesperson Mark Bhagwandin says: ‘The rising rate is being pushed up by teenage abortions, with half of all under-18 pregnancies ending in abortion. This is a disaster on a massive scale and each and every one of those abortions is a tragedy.
‘It’s incredible that the government’s strategy, which is so obviously unsuccessful, isn’t being scrapped. Millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money are being wasted on value-free sex education and the promotion of abortion. Abortion is no longer a last resort – make no mistake, it is used as contraception by thousands of young women.
‘There is another way. The government’s strategy assumes that children will engage in sexual activity and essentially says ‘if you can’t be good be careful’. But this does young people a grave disservice and underestimates their capacity to strive for something better.
‘The way forward is to promote loving relationships, friendships, aspirations and achievement and encourage young people to think for themselves. Only by valuing themselves enough to postpone sex until they are in a truly loving relationship will abortion figures fall.
‘LIFE’s Education Officers speak to thousands of young people every year encouraging them to buck the trend and to ask themselves what will make them truly happy. It’s working – we just need it on a bigger scale.’