All right, its abortion discusssion week here at One Woman Army (judging from the topics of the past week).
As I mentioned previously, in Canada abortion is decriminalized - not legal - decriminalized. I can’t help but wonder what this would mean in the case of Amber Abreu in Lawrence, Massechussetts who is now possibly facing charges of manslaughter for a DIY abortion.
Are women’s rights under attack still - 34 years after Roe vs. Wade? Just look at Amber’s case:
“Prosecutors in Lawrence, Massachusetts could charge this 18-year-old woman, Amber Abreu, with manslaughter because she took an ulcer medication containing Misoprostol, a drug that is legal in the U.S., in an attempt to terminate a pregnancy. She has already been charged with ”procuring an improper miscarriage” and faces a possible seven years in state prison. She is being held on $15,000 bail. Even though abortion is legal in Massachusetts until the 24th week of pregnancy, she could face manslaughter charges depending on the results of the autopsy.
Scared that she was pregnant, not sure, but believing she had felt movement in her abdomen, she obtained the ulcer medication from a friend. She took three doses, began to develop stomach cramps and went to the hospital, where she gave birth to a 1-1/4 pound girl estimated to be at 23-25 weeks gestation who survived for four days. While in the hospital, the baby’s urine was tested and the drug was discovered. “Social workers” (snort) alerted police when Abreu checked herself out of the hospital.” - from Women’s Space/The Margins
Wow, talk about a violation of women’s rights. The sneakiness of the “social workers” and physicians to test the baby’s urine to use against this poor girl.
What I want to know is, why is it illegal or criminal to have a diy abortion not in the santions of a legal abortion clinic? For thousands and thousands of years women have been self-administering abortions or treating their sisters with abortions thanks to abortifacients and herbal remedies. This is absolutely nothing new at all, and that it should now be made out to be criminal and “homicidal” is absurd. This is the result of a medicalized society that obeys the laws of non-feminist medicine.
What would this mean in Canada, however, where there are no laws regarding abortion? Would anything even be done? I can’t help but wonder, and I have no answers. What do you think? Discuss in comments.
For those wanting to explore more:
Bitch PhD has a fabulous post that outlines various links on diy abortions and abortifacients, as well as histories of illegal abortions.
- Artemis
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