Silent prayer outside of abortion clinic is a form of reproductive coercion
Summary
In Britain, legislation was passed to stop activism in the vicinity of abortion clinics. Specifically, the legislation targets Catholics who pray outside of abortion clinics. In response, anti-abortion protesters allege that the new legislation will violate their human rights. The article explains that there’s a variety of activities outside abortion clinics, and the activity changes frequently. Sometimes, there are silent prayers, engagement with patients, holding banners and candles or distributing pamphlets. The justification of the new legislation is to prevent women from being coerced to continue their pregnancy.
Relevance
The article highlights a widely held belief within the Catholic faith that abortion is immoral, and how this conviction influences their perspective on the experiences of women entering abortion clinics. The article discusses how women have expressed fear of protesters, uncertain of the extent to which they may go to prevent their access to abortion services. While protesters have denied claims of intimidation, the authors of the article, through their fieldwork, observed instances where women were followed and harassed during what was described as a “peaceful prayer vigil” outside the clinics.