12 year old NI rape victim escorted to England by police to seize evidence

[WTFIsAGleepglorp]

Independent story

12 years old. 12.

Terrible. The poor girl has been through so much. What was the purpose of seizing evidence? Was it against her or her rapist?

More than likely the rapist.

This highlights the laws in NI and how they differ.

NI laws never enacted the Abortion Act of 1967 and there's no abortion for anyone, not rape victims, children, for abnormalities incompatible with life or in cases where the woman is sick and her life is in danger.

Heartless, heartless bigots.

Poor bairn.

I would assume the police either didn't know who her attacker was, or didn't believe her. Hence retaining the evidence for DNA tests.

12 years old. I could cry for that poor child

Poor child, what will it take for NI to change the law. Women and girls matter so little, it seems.

Would it still be a crime to abort taking her age in to account?

Yet our woman prime minister is so enamoured by the politicians enabling this bigotry that she has 'promoted' the DUP to a vital role in propping the government up (not very effectively it has to be said).

Would it still be a crime to abort taking her age in to account?

It would be in N Ireland but there is no law preventing her from travelling to another part of the UK.

I think there are a few exceptions to the law, as in if the mother's life is in imminent danger, but being 12 and it being generally bad for your health to be pregnant and give birth isn't classed as endangering the mother's life.

The Belfast Telegraph published this story last week and some of the pro lifers were adamant that this has never happened, that no such girl exists, that it's all a fiction to try to get permission to kill babies. And, perhaps even worse, there were some who said that if she was old enough to become pregnant she obviously was a woman, not a child and therefore should bear the consequences of having sex.

Would it still be a crime to abort taking her age in to account?

There. Is. No. Abortion. Allowed. At. All.

That's why she's travelled to England.

Thanks Treacle it should be a crime making her go through a pregnancy at that age.
Again poor bloody bairn

What was the purpose of seizing evidence? Was it against her or her rapist?

How could it possibly be 'against her'? Whoever impregnated a 12 yo has committed a crime and hopefully will be brought to justice. It may be that the police presence was to make sure the evidence is 100% watertight to make damn sure that happens.

Awful that she couldn't be treated humanely near her home. How the hell do NI laws not allow for an abortion in the case of a raped 12yo?

"There. Is. No. Abortion. Allowed. At. All."

Replace full stops and with exclamation marks and shout it in an Ian Paisley accent. Then you get the general idea.

This is a legacy of sectarian rule.

Religious opposition has always been the barrier.

This BBC Magazine article is from 2016

I hope the police accompanying her did so in a very protective and sympathetic way, in order to make sure that her and her family's wishes for justice were more likely.

But I have such little faith in the police and the NI justice system. I hope none of this "evidence" is use against her.

• This is a legacy of sectarian rule.

I wouldn't put it quite like that, given that support for abortion is about the one thing the catholics and the particular brand of Protestantism dominant in NI agree on.

Though I suppose sectarianism has been a major force in holding back the reforming light of secularisation.

Actually there were twelve abortions performed in NI last year. That was also in the news last week. Not sure of the circumstances of any of those cases kind you, but I does happen here.

There. Is. No. Abortion. Allowed. At. All.

According to the article there were 12 abortions in NI.

Whilst the situation is dreadful so is the reporting with use of language like "seizing evidence"

Sinn Fein are now officially pro-choice.

All other parties make it an issue of cosncience and do not whip, except the DUP who are officially pro-life.

the DUP who are officially pro-life.

They aren't pro life. They are against women and girls. They are authoritarian bigots.

Utterly disgusting.

Abortion isn't completely illegal in Ireland. Simply very very limited and even when allowed not necessarily carried out. None of which I agree with - it should be available - but repeating incorrect information weakens the argument. After all, if you have that wrong what else is wrong? The truth, sadly, is awful enough with that.

Abortion isn't completely illegal in Ireland.

It's not Ireland though, it's Northern Ireland.

You're right, North Ireland. Sorry.

However:

Abortion is only permitted when there is a risk to the life of the mother, or a serious risk to her physical or mental health.In such an instance, women can have the termination in an NHS or private clinic in Northern Ireland.

According to the article:

Terminations are only allowed in cases where the woman's life is in danger or there is a permanent or serious risk to her mental or physical health.

A pregnant 12 year old meets all those criteria in my opinion. That poor, poor girl. And 'seizing evidence'! I'm genuinely surprised that police are allowed to do anything with the products of a medical procedure.

If it gets her rapist I think it's warranted. It's a disgrace that she wasn't able to get treatment at home but I'm pleased that she wasn't prevented from leaving to access help and that hopefully evidence has been preserved which might get a conviction. I would like to think the officers that went with her were specially trained and treated her with the sensitivity she deserved. Poor kid.

And 'seizing evidence'! I'm genuinely surprised that police are allowed to do anything with the products of a medical procedure

This presumably refers to keeping the aborted foetus for DNA purposes. It would usually be incinerated. Would you prefer that they destroyed incontrovertible proof linking the pregnancy to the rapist?.