Recent reports on the prevalence of coercive abortion internationally highlight the urgent need to examine the issue more seriously in Ireland.
In recent weeks, alleged incidents of coerced abortion have been documented in the US, with particular attention on cases in Texas, Illinois, and Louisiana.
Ireland has also seen such cases in recent years. Readers of this newsletter will recall the story of a minor who was locked in a room and forced to take abortion pills.
There is also the case of Dublin man Dean Paget, sentenced to 13 years in prison for repeatedly kicking his pregnant ex-partner in the stomach, killing her unborn child.
These are not isolated incidents. A recent report from Women’s Aid highlighted the serious problem of men physically assaulting their pregnant partners, leading in some cases to the death of the unborn child. Yet despite the mounting evidence, no government taskforce has been established to investigate things.
The situation is worsened by the Government’s sanctioning of telemedicine ‘at-home’ abortion, where abortion pills can be posted to individuals without supervision or oversight, leaving women vulnerable to pressure or deception from people close to them.
Carol Nolan TD, along with Senators Sharon Keogan and Sarah O’Reilly, have led the way in raising the issue in the Oireachtas, stressing that coercive abortion is a real and pressing concern. It is shocking, however, that the Government continues to drag its feet and refuses to address the matter directly.
Fears that acknowledging the problem might undermine Ireland’s abortion law are no excuse. This inaction is putting more women – and their unborn children – at serious risk.
