I've written and erased this blogpost several times now. I've followed the case in the media but I don't feel competent or qualified to comment. As Glosswitch said "I didn’t attend her trial, don’t live in her head and have no idea, in the grand scheme of things, how harshly she deserves to be judged." The case is disturbing and, frankly, asks more questions that I feel comfortable with trying to answer for myself. But, I do think 8 years is an incredibly harsh sentence. It may be that Catt is just a woman who didn't want to be pregnant but I suspect there is more to the case than has been released publicly [or assumed by the men moralising about her behaviour]. I doubt very much a man whose violence towards a pregnant partner resulted in the death of the fetus would have gotten 8 years. Hell, I doubt he would have gotten 6 months.
I'm still struggling to adequately express my misgivings about this case but it has reinforced my belief that women should have the right to choose an abortion at any point without qualification or artificial hierarchy of "good" versus "bad" abortions. [I also believe that poverty should not be the reason a woman chooses to have an abortion. We should have a welfare state that would support her, regardless of that choice. Obviously, I'm away with the fairies on this one too]. Below is the information about a pro-choice rally on Saturday September 29th in London. Money permitting, I will be there to support women's right to choose so that no other woman ends up in prison for 8 years like Sarah Catt for aborting a pregnancy they did not want.
It's time for Action on Abortion!
Rights for Northern IrelandGlobal decriminalisation of abortion
An end to harassment at abortion clinics
What? Demo for Action on Abortion
When? Saturday 29th September, 2.00 – 4.00 pm
Where? Old Palace Yard, opposite the Houses of Parliament
The summer is just about over and that means the next round of 'vigils' outside abortion clinics is almost upon us. This autumn, the start of 40 Days for Life's anti-choice campaign coincides with the events to mark the International Day for the Decriminalisation of Abortion – which we'll be marking with calls for rights for women in Northern Ireland and full decriminalisation in the UK. So now's the time to raise our voices on all these crucial issues.
What's the problem?
- Abortion in Northern Ireland is outlawed in almost all circumstances. Women who want to terminate a pregnancy must travel to the UK or abroad to access services at great emotional and financial cost.
Women in Northern Ireland need abortion rights. - Abortion law in England, Scotland and Wales is outdated. Although we have high quality abortion services, there is no 'right' to abortion. The consent of two doctors is required and each abortion must fit certain grounds.
We need full decriminalisation and abortion on request. - There are 20 million unsafe abortions around the world every year – most of them in countries where abortion is criminalised or restricted. At least 47,000 women will die as a result and thousands more will suffer ill health.
We need worldwide decriminalisation of abortion & safe reproductive healthcare for all. - Anti-choice campaigners are increasingly protesting outside abortion clinics – targeting individual women, causing distress and intimidation and sometimes even filming them.
Women need privacy and safety when accessing abortions. The government must commit to stopping clinic harassment.
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