LIFE, the UK’s leading pro-life charity, says the latest stats from the Department of Health showing a continuous rise in the number of teenagers having repeat abortions is evidence that the Government’s teenage pregnancy strategy is making things worse.
LIFE spokesperson Michaela Aston says: ‘Abortion is being used as contraception, “last resort” contraception, but contraception nevertheless. This is a human tragedy on a massive scale and one which builds year on year.
‘Each and every abortion damages a woman psychologically and often physically and the effects are compounded with each further procedure. And we cannot forget that in each case there is a human life lost.
‘I have little doubt that these figures will prompt the usual response by the Government which is to throw yet more money and resources at its already spectacularly unsuccessful teenage pregnancy strategy.
‘If the government were in business, failure on this scale would be met with calls for resignations and demands to try another tack. More contraception, more “education” and more of the same “if you can’t be good be careful” message is not the answer.
‘Surely it’s time to try another way. No woman ever wants an abortion but a whole generation of young women have been brainwashed into thinking it’s no big deal. In our experience it’s a very big deal; it’s rare that a woman escapes with no emotional ill-effects.
‘We need to start with young people – asking them what they want out of life and what they think will make them happy. This is what the LIFE Education Programme does – it encourages young people to think for themselves and challenge current cultural norms.
‘The teenage pregnancy strategy fails because it isn’t tackling the root causes of why there are so many teenage pregnancies in this country. Pushing contraception is the “sticking plaster” approach but there are no quick fixes to this problem. Young people deserve so much more respect than they are getting from the Government. We have to encourage self-respect and promote the family before it is too late.’