Why Not Decriminalise?

There are many reasons why pursuing decriminalisation would be wrong for Scotland. To hear more extensively, please attend one of our RIGHT SIDE events.  

Pro-choice activists say decriminalisation wouldn't mean no regulation - they envisage abortion being regulated not by the law, but by healthcare professions.These proposals are anti-democratic. Abortion regulations such as those which prohibit abortion in certain situations should be determined by elected representatives who are accountable to the public, not by groupings within the professions. 
We as citizens should have an opportunity to voice our opinion on this issue. Decriminalisation would mean abortion was out of the legal framework within which we could lobby our politicians on the issue.

Complete decriminalisation would remove the statutory right of healthcare professionals with a conscientious objection to abortion not to participate. This puts many medical professionals (pharmacists, gynaecologists, midwives, nurses, et al.) at risk.

Abortion is not like "any other medical treatment," and should not be treated as such

Decriminalisation campaigners claim that abortion should be regulated like "any other medical treatment" (so there should be no need for special grounds, time limits, authorisation by two doctors, etc). Ann Furedi, CEO of BPAS, has acknowledged that the vast majority of abortions in the UK are performed not for medical reasons, but simply because the pregnancy is "unwanted". Few other medical treatments are sought for social reasons.

Abortion is unlike other procedures performed on patients because it involves the deliberate ending of human life. Human right laws explicitly state that the right to life applies to all human beings.

Abortion is not suitable healthcare for women

Few studies have been done in the UK regarding long-term affects of abortion on a woman's physical or mental health. International studies show that abortion may not actually serve women, and may be doing more harm than good to their health.
  • There are health risks associated with abortion pills Mifepristone/Misoprostol. Studies show that heavy bleeding due to incomplete abortion can occur in up to 5% of women and blood transfusion may be needed in 1.8% of cases.​
  • In a study of London clinics, there was a six times higher rate of intimate partner violence in women undergoing abortion compared with women receiving antenatal care.
  • A recent Finnish study showed that the mortality rate for suicide was over six times higher than after giving birth.
  • Calls for decriminalisation of abortion come at time when the Care Quality Commission has issued warning notices to Marie Stopes International in response to regulatory breeches on matters related to "consent", "safeguarding", "care and treatment" and "governance".

​For further information, and the citations for these studies,  please see the "We care about women" and "Abortion and Women's Health" pamphlets available through SPUC (or available at our RIGHT SIDE events).