Poll Reveals Majority of People Oppose Decriminalizing Abortion After 24 Weeks
An amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill has been introduced that would decriminalize abortion up to 24 weeks, but a recent poll indicates that it lacks public support.
One amendment, proposed by Diana Johnson, the chair of the Home Affairs Committee, and backed by 35 MPs, seeks to decriminalize abortion in England and Wales after 24 weeks, meaning women who choose to terminate pregnancies would not face prosecution.
On the other hand, Conservative MP Caroline Ansell has introduced a separate amendment to reduce the legal abortion time limit in England and Wales to 22 weeks, citing advances in medical technology.
The British Association of Perinatal Medicine now considers 22 weeks as the point when extremely premature babies can survive outside the womb. The survival rate for babies born at 23 weeks has doubled in recent years.
It will be up to Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the House of Commons, to decide whether one or both amendments will be voted on. However, all major political parties have agreed to allow a free vote based on MPs’ personal beliefs.
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In England and Wales, abortion laws are governed by the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act and the 1967 Abortion Act.
Since 2019, approximately 100 women have been investigated by police for abortion-related offenses.
In March 2023, Carla Foster, 45, admitted to illegally inducing her own abortion when she was between 32 and 34 weeks pregnant.
She was sentenced to 28 months in jail, but her term was commuted to a suspended sentence of 14 months in July 2023 by the Court of Appeal in London.
BMA and Royal Colleges Support Decriminalisation
The royal colleges of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, GPs, and Midwives, along with the British Medical Association, endorse Ms. Johnson’s amendment.
In the survey data reviewed by The Epoch Times, only 16 percent approved of the idea, while 29 percent either did not have an opinion or chose not to respond.
Whitestone Insight surveyed 2,011 adults and found that men (46 percent) were slightly more in favor of decriminalization than women (43 percent).
Additionally, the survey indicated that 71 percent deemed a 12-month sentence appropriate for a woman who terminated her baby at 32 to 34 weeks as “just right or too lenient,” with only 2 out of 10 considering it excessive.
Catherine Robinson, a spokesperson for Right to Life UK, warned that the decriminalization amendment “could lead to a tragic increase in late-term abortions performed at home.” She emphasized that the public does not support this change in the law and urged MPs to reject Johnson’s amendment.
Does Amendment ‘Remove All Rights and Value From an Unborn Baby’?
Miriam Cates, co-chair of the group of New Conservatives MPs, argued that Johnson’s amendment would eliminate all consequences for a pregnant woman opting for an abortion after 24 weeks.
She stressed the need for support and assistance for women facing unwelcome late-term pregnancies but cautioned against stripping all rights and value from an unborn baby shortly before birth, supporting Ansell’s amendment.
Johnson defended her amendment, stating that it simply removes women from the criminal justice system. She pointed out that even countries with stricter abortion laws, such as Texas, do not criminalize women but focus on abortion providers. She argued that the UK is out of step with these countries.
Johnson also noted that women who use abortion pills for late miscarriages often face vulnerable situations, such as domestic abuse or coercion. She posed the question of whether these women should be subject to criminal law or offered help and support.
In January, the Crown Prosecution Service dismissed charges against Bethany Cox, 22, due to challenges in refuting her defense statement.
Cox was accused of using poison to induce an abortion in July 2020 but denied the intent to harm a viable child. Her barrister highlighted the distress Cox faced during the investigation as she mourned the loss of her child due to a miscarriage.
PA Media contributed to this report.
