AIBU to think women should be able to access abortion clinics without intimidation and harassment?

[betty62]

I live in Ealing, London and there is a Marie Stopes clinic nearby. Every day there is a' vigil' of anti-abortionists outside with pictures of embryos, plastic foetuses, religious texts and inaccurate leaflets which tell the women things such as they are more likely to get breast cancer if they have an abortion and that they are more likely to abuse any other children that they have or will have in the future. Some of the vigilers stand at the entrance to the clinic trying to force their leaflets on the clinic users, or follow them down the road when they leave, calling them 'mum' . Regardless of whether someone agrees with abortion or not, I don't think the women who are trying to access a legal service should be subject to intimidation and harassment. If you agree, and live or work in Ealing, please sign this petition that is asking the council to implement a buffer zone directly outside of the clinic.

ealing.cmis.uk.com/ealing/ePetitions/tabid/96/ID/38/This-petition-calls-for-Ealing-Council-to-end-the-persistent-presence-of-the-anti-abortion-vigil-outside-the-Marie-Stopes-Reproductive-Centre-on-Mattock-Lane-Ealing.aspx

I've been to that clinic. I didn't need to use it in the end as my pregnancy was ectopic and I was referred immediately back to the NHS for emergency surgery. There was no one there when I went - early appointment - but the majority of women in that clinic on the days I went were young, teenagers, late teens, accompanied by mothers and friends to support them. Bad enough for anyone but especially young, frightened girls. I live close but not actually in the area so can't sign, will sign the other one though.

Maybe rock up and protest outside his sunday service?

He should be providing comfort and care for his parishioners not loitering about a medical institution on a week day, has he not seen the homeless around ealing broadway?

Yanbu.

And let's not, even for a second, pretend this is any kind of free speech issue. The right to free speech doesn't mean you get to choose exactly where you say it. Nobody is suggesting they shouldn't be allowed to have and voice these views per se. Just not there. There is plenty of precedent for this.

YANBU. How disgusting. They can protest somewhere in the streets if they want, (I suppose it is their right of freedom of speech, though they aim to take away women's rights, which is horrid) not at a clinic!

as far as I'm concerned, they should keep their arses away from men and women who already feel guilty about aborting a fetus in their body

You mean women, right?

There's things where including both sexes just isn't necessary.

Peaceful is fine. This is not fine.

Show me an anti choicer who is prepared to provide a lifetime of care for a severely disabled child, look after the children of a woman whose pregnancy will kill her, or take on a child that a family simply cannot afford.

I'll wait.

Oh, and show me one who is an atheist...

The Drs who go to work and face that every day are nothing short of heros.

Disgusting behaviour

Heroes??

Don't be a twat diggy.

Damn right abortion doctors in the US are heroes. They risk their lives!

Signed.

Not only should they not have to subjected to harassment, they also shouldn't ever have to give a reason as to why they're accessing an abortion. It's no one else's business whatsoever.

stitch I believe diggy is correcting spelling.

specialsubject 'Oh,and show me one who is an atheist'. Spot on.

Thanks, misread the post. Cos spelling is the important issue here of course!

YANBU. These people are disgusting. I volunteered as an escort for women attending Marie Stopes for a while. You meet the service user and walk with them to the clinic, shielding them from the protesters and keeping them talking as a distraction. The things I've heard the protesters shout are just absolutely vile. They call themselves Christians but they wouldn't know Christianity if it bit them on the bum.

There were some protesters who protested against the protesters by rocking up with their own signs. I particularly remember 'hoot if you are horny'
It was weirdly effective and the originals looked even crazier

I'm a Catholic but have been pro-choice since early teens. The choice I might make might be different to another woman's but I have NO RIGHT to impose my choice on her.
The anti-abortion lot in my Catholic school used to make me sick - what the hell did they know about the difficult situations a pregnant woman can find herself in. If I saw this lot on the street I would say the same to them. As long as it didn't make things more stressful for a woman visiting the clinic, that is.

Signed and shared! I live very close to here and use the close by gp surgery. The aggressive and intimidating behaviour of these people is a disgrace...there is often nothing peaceful about their protest!

Signed. Bloody disgusting.

I signed a petition about this earlier this year, it's a horrible situation.

I'm not quite sure where trans men come into this Majora, or why they would be more triggered or harrowed than a biological woman.

You said pregnancy is harrowing and horrible especially when unwanted, a pregnancy may well be harrowing if it's unwanted but I don't think very many women who actually want to be pregnant find it horrible and harrowing.

signed, live nowhere near here but able to sign?

Reported not the place

Me too Gowgirl.

Why is mumsnet not the place to encourage people to sign a petition that protects vulnerable women?