New Zealand: ‘Protesters, stop bullying abortion patients’

Teresa Ramsey/FAIRFAX NZ.

by TERRY BELLAMAK
Last updated 10:42 22/08/2016
Stuff.co.nz

It would be an act of kindness for protesters to leave abortion patients alone, writes Terry Bellamak.

An open letter to anti-abortion protesters from the national president of ALRANZ Abortion Rights Aotearoa.

This letter was inspired by the story Kylie Gunn told of her medically necessary termination of her very much wanted pregnancy. I’m really sorry Kylie had to face that difficult prospect.

In Ireland and other countries where abortion is both illegal and harshly punished, she would not have had that option. She would have been forced to carry the pregnancy. I’m very glad she was spared such cruelty.

Approximately 94 per cent of abortions in New Zealand occur before the 14th week of gestation. Those that occur after are mostly the result of catastrophic issues with wanted pregnancies, like Kylie’s.

It is very easy to empathise with women like Kylie. But what about empathising with women who have unwanted pregnancies?

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Source: Stuff.co.nz