Ireland – ‘What if someone is 11 weeks now?’: Concerns that HSE’s abortion helpline fails to provide for deaf people

'What if someone is 11 weeks now?': Concerns that HSE's abortion helpline fails to provide for deaf people
The HSE says it is working to make the phone line accessible “as soon as possible”.

Jan 5, 2019

DISABILITY CAMPAIGNERS HAVE raised concerns about the HSE’s My Options crisis pregnancy hotline not being accessible to people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

Following last year’s vote in favour of liberalising Ireland’s abortion laws, terminations became available at hospitals, family planning services and GPs on New Year’s Day.

Continued: https://www.thejournal.ie/my-options-deaf-service-4422012-Jan2019/

05.01.2019

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Caroline McGrotty

deaf accessibility for abortion

disability campaigners

Disabled People for Choice

‘I had no real interest in politics, until this’ – Ireland’s accidental abortion activists

‘I had no real interest in politics, until this’ – Ireland’s accidental abortion activists
On 25 May, voters in Ireland will decide whether to legalise abortion. Doctors, grandparents and those who have been forced to travel the UK to seek terminations have been raising their voices in a bid to shift the narrative

Joyce Fegan
Tue 22 May 2018

In September 1983, article 40.3.3 – the eighth amendment – was voted into the Irish constitution. It equated the life of the “unborn” with that of the mother. It gave rise to a ban on abortion in all circumstances from the moment of conception.

It also led to a grave national silence, whereby abortion was outsourced to neighbouring jurisdictions, with Britain becoming a place of medical refuge for at least 168,703 Irish women.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/22/ireland-abortion-vote-accidental-activists-eighth-amendment