Isle of Man legalises abortion right up to birth
The Isle of Man has become the first place in the British Isles to fully decriminalise abortion. The Abortion Reform Bill was passed late last year with unanimous support by members of the House of Keys (the parliament of the Isle of Man) and has now received royal assent.
This means that abortion will be legal for any reason right up to and including the moment of birth. Women and unborn babies will have no safeguards throughout the whole nine months of pregnancy.
Midwives and pharmacists will be allowed to dispense abortion pills, as well as doctors. This goes against the very basis of medicine and the work medical professionals – to save lives. Real healthcare doesn’t kill. The Hippocratic Oath itself, which physicians swear to uphold, states, “I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked. I will NOT give a woman a pessary to cause an abortion.” Medical professionals worldwide have warned women not to take abortion drugs. Since 2001, at least 22 women worldwide have died from haemorrhage, toxic shock, sepsis, organ failure and ruptured ectopic pregnancy following an early abortion with mifepristone and misoprostol. The drugs have been banned in China.
Under the new legislation, the Isle of Man’s Government will include provision for "buffer zones" that will prevent silent pro-life presence around NHS premises and any premises where abortion services take place, including counselling centres. Pro-life people will not even be able to give out crisis pregnancy leaflets or support to women before they make their decision to have their baby killed. They will not even be able to give care, counselling and support to men or post-abortive women who are hurt and damaged as a result of abortion.
It is incredibly unjust to implement “buffer zones” considering the human right to freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom from discrimination. Furthermore, there have been thousands of babies saved directly because of pro-life witness outside abortion centres or abortion-referral centres. Precious Life stood outside Marie Stopes every day in silent witness for 5 years until it was thankfully closed down in 2017. During those 5 years, many babies and mothers were saved from the damage, destruction and death of abortion. The majority of women who opt for an abortion feel like they have no other option and many are coerced into getting an abortion. Majority of women feel they don’t have any “choice.”
In England, Scotland and Wales, the Abortion Act 1967 has led to nearly 9 million babies being killed since its introduction as well as women and men left hurt and damaged. Some women have even died after so-called “safe, legal abortions,” including Aisha Chithira in 2012 after having an abortion in a London Marie Stopes. Abortion isn’t and never will be healthcare. It will never be safe. Every abortion kills a baby and hurts women and men. Shame on the Isle of Man for unleashing the horror and scourge of abortion onto their island.