To think the tactics of CBR UK are disgusting? Trigger warning - pro life.

[MistressoftheDarkSide]

I've been seething since Saturday when I encountered the organisation CBR UK on one of the busiest parts of our town centre.

CBR UK are a fundamental pro-life organisation claiming to have the interests of women traumatised by abortion at heart. Actually their roots are in the US and are underpinned by fundamentalist Christian beliefs.

Their way of educating and supporting women is to display 6 x 8 feet technicolor pictures of the aftermath of abortion in full view of women and children to get their point across.

A look at their Facebook page will prove to you I am not making this up. They place a warning sign ahead if the images, and also warn that they live film their activities, but it's obviously lip service.

They hand out leaflets and try to engage people

I challenged one of the very smug beatific older woman and suggested they must really hate women, but no, it's because they love and want to protect us apparently. And "God" - which slipped out as I took my leave and she called out God bless you. To which I responded how dare you bring God into this - and her parry was - why do you hate him that much?

Anyway, I'm posting this to make you aware that you might come up against this while doing your Christmas shopping.

Whatever your views on abortion, (Mine are pro choice and pro it's noone else's Goddamn business except a woman and her doctor) can we agree that this kind of "awareness raising" is almost psychological terrorism and should not be on our high streets in such graphic forms?

Women who have been rated, suffered traumatic medical miscarriages and are possibly accompanied by curious children don't need this shit rubbed in their faces while doing their Christmas shopping - or at any time.

AIBU?

I was traumatised by a forced abortion as a teenager (second trimester so you can imagine how that would have been). Seeing those images wouldn’t help me in anyway at all I have PTSD. It would make be extremely ill so what they say their intention is isn’t true.

I have daughters now and I would hate their choice - either way to be taken away from them as mine was 😞

@TheWorminLabyrinth I'm so sorry, replied to the wrong person.

@Itsusitsstrange

I'm so sorry you went through that.

Sending love x

It's just hypocritical that 'pro-life' only refers to unborn foetuses. No one gives two hoots once they are a registered member of society. It's also funny that the same people who are campaigning about unborn foetuses aren't also campaigning outside hospices for people on life support, for better gun control (in the US) or forcing people to donate blood or organs to save lives. Mainly because these aren't 'women' specific I guess. Men don't like the fact that abortion is one thing women have total control over. Let's just call a spade a spade. Very few of them actually care about the babies they are fighting over.

It is disgusting. Someone handed me a leaflet like that back in the 70s when I was a young teenager. I can still remember the photo and I am now 60 (and still pro the right to choose).

Whether you agree with the right to abortion or not (I do) the tactics of these groups are disgusting and huge posters with graphic imagery should not be allowed.

That's OK

It was horrific but it made me realise how absolutely dreadful it is to have your choice over your own body taken away. It was just abhorrent. I worry for my daughters that in their life time they may have their choices limited I would fully support them in any way. These people waving these images about are disgusting and a disgrace they have no idea about real pain - the sort of pain I’ve been through or the sort of pain women who need to access abortion care go through. Pro choice is the only way and I hope this kind of abuse on the streets can be stopped . It would break my heart to be confronted with that sort of thing

@Itsusitsstrange

You have my utmost admiration and respect.

Your words are why I want this organisation stopped.

You are a wonderful example to your daughters xxx

Thankyou so much . They really do need to be stopped it’s just awful . Thankyou for caring

These pro-birth (I don't call them pro-life as they don't give a shit about what happens to a child after that) idiots are awful. And the pictures are usually of late-term terminations for medical reasons, because a six-week pregnancy looks like basically nothing and they want some shock value. It's disgusting behaviour.

And if these people really did care about life, then maybe they should stop worrying about fetuses and put their funds and energies into the millions of children worldwide living in poverty and abusive homes. But for them life begins at conception and ends at birth it seems, as far as they care.

There's this bizarre rhetoric where they think women are just terminating babies left, right and centre at 30+ weeks because they've 'changed their mind's'. It just isn't happening. Being forced to bring a child into the world with a life limiting illness is just plain cruel. I personally wouldn't have an abortion (except in the event of a medical reason) post 24 weeks - as this is around the time that a baby can survive outside of my body (with some medical help but it happens). Before that, if it requires my body to live, it's not an independent being with rights. Sorry.

They aren't even pro birth, they are forced birthers. And probably don't give a second thought to the child or mothers welfare once the forced birth has taken place.

Years ago I was out with my son and a group were handing out these type of leaflets and tried to hand me one I politely refused. That should have been the end of the matter except she handed them to my very noticeably disabled son he was about 5. Sick and manipulative.

I live in Northern Ireland and had to see two GPs and wait months for a hospital appointment to get a copper coil as it was classed as an a tool of abortion.

I've requested my earlier post be removed as the post I was commenting on has gone.

(When removing a post I think it's good to explain why so future commentators can't claim it was so awful it had to be taken down)

The crux of the matter is that each individual woman has individual circumstances that may lead her into the position of wanting or needing a termination. It is not a black and white situation. As such, beyond the legislation that protects women by ensuring safe abortion is available, politics and religion should be out of the equation.

Organisations that stick their sticky extremist beaks into women's private business without invitation should not be allowed to traumatise women, because at the root of it is the subliminal (or brazen) desire to blame, shame and punish. Their version of "love" for women is pretty twisted. And as others have said, the children? Well, they outlive their usefulness post birth. Rank hypocrisy.

I always ask them how many unwanted babies they have adopted.

They bluster a bit but it shuts them up.

YANBU

I think we also need to shirk this notion that women who’ve had abortions are traumatised and riddled with regret. I’ve had one. Best decision I ever made and I feel no guilt whatsoever. As soon as I had it I felt amazing and free, and I’d do it again on a heartbeat should the need arise.

I had to accompany someone close to me to a termination clinic this year. It was already a stressful and emotional experience (though the clinic team were absolutely wonderful and the procedure was very straightforward fortunately) and I was absolutely dreading any protestors being outside.

Fortunately they were not, and it all went well. Most of the other people waiting were pretty young - teenagers mostly I'd say, with a boyfriend or mum.

Imagine these dickheads being outside though. Fucking hell.

How many unwanted children have you adopted? How much money do you donate to support struggling parents who cannot afford their child? How much respite do you give to parents of severely disabled children?

What the heck is a 'justifiable' reason for abortion? One that you think is ok? Why does your opinion matter?

If you're pro birth, you're pro birth, why would you have 'justifiable' reasons? Either you preserve life or you don't.

Keep your nose out of other people's medical business.

Don't like abortion, don't have one. Nobody but you and your small minded associates care about your 'moral standing'. Or your wish to control women, which is what it boils down to.

These organisations are usually led by men wanting to control women

Yeah I recall a leaflet thrust at Me too.

Pro Choice I am .
Nobody should have to go back to the days when Women died during abortions. The films Alfie and Up the Junction featured illegal abortions and the aftermaths

What’s a “justifiable abortion”?

What is it then?

Can I ask: how does it affect you if another woman has an abortion? You’d never even know