Irish women travel to Britain for abortions every day by the dozen

[ensho]

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Irish-women-travel-to-Britain-for-abortions-every-day-by-the-dozen.html


The British Department of Health has released figures which reveal that 12 Irish women travel across to Britain to have abortions every day. Abortion is illegal in Ireland.

Last year 4,422 women who used abortion clinics in Britain gave Irish addresses.

On the back of these figures the Irish Family Planning Association has asked the Government to legalize abortion despite the fact that this figure has dropped continuously over the last eight years. These figures have dropped from 6,673 in 2001.

Niall Behan, the Chief Executive of the Irish Family Planning Association said “While this trend is a step in the right direction the harsh reality behind these statistics is that every day 12 women must make the journey to Britain to access safe and legal abortion services.

“These figures are compelling evidence of the need for domestic-based abortion services in Ireland.”

The association has calculated that since 1980 at least 142,060 women travelled to Britain for abortions.
-snip-
---------------------------------


thank goodness they can go to Britain

but Irish women should learn to say NO to any man who wants to have sex with them and doesn't wear a condom.

and the men of Ireland should stop being stupid.

[LeftyMom]

1. The woman-blaming editiorial is unnecessary. nt

[Captain Hilts]

4. It's easier to write the OP's comments from Key West than most anywhere else. nt

[LeftyMom]

6. I meant the additional comment at the bottom of the post from the OP.

[Captain Hilts]

7. Me too. They live in Key West. Irish Central is very progressive on this issue. The OP is not. nt

[ensho]

14. what does Key West have to do with anything?

nt

[Captain Hilts]

17. It's got a reputation.

Lived there. Loved it.

But it's not where many women go looking for sex.

[ensho]

21. women go places looking for sex? you must have lived here all of

two minutes.

this thread isn't about women looking for sex.

[ensho]

11. what do you mean 'woman blaming'

explain your reasoning.

feminism has had a hard row to hoe in Ireland. Irish men and the catholic church have brutally cowed women for centurys.

women and girls were not allowed to say NO.

[LeftyMom]

16. The assumption that abortion is a consequence of sexual behavior beyond your approval,

rather than some constellation of bad medical outcomes, changed circumstances, unwanted pregnancy, poverty, failed birth control and failed relationships.

Further, you state that women have been culturally discouraged from saying no, but in the op you still blame them for their failure to insist upon condom use. This is unrealistic both because it expects women to change the culture without male cooperation, and because condoms, for all their disease-preventing merits, are not generally the most reliable or best adhered-to strategy for pregnancy prevention.

[ensho]

22. really? what is the most reliable? not counting not having sex at all

the pill?

[LeftyMom]

23. Here, have a chart:

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control/birth-control-effectiveness-chart-22710.htm

Note how far condoms are down the chart, and keep in mind that's if they're used consistently, which would assume a partner's cooperation.

[PassingFair]

36. What percentage of those Irish women are married with children?

Are you assuming they are all single?

Does the fact that even CONDOMS were ILLEGAL
in Ireland until the 70's and it was ILLEGAL
to sell them to anyone under 18 or to advertise
birth control until 1993.

Your assumption that women need only to tell
men to use condoms belies the disturbing
reality of women trapped in a male-centered
religious infused system.

[Captain Hilts]

2. Yep. nt

[Codeine]

3. Your additional commentary detracted mightily from your point.

A woman can get pregnant while on birth control, or as the result of a condom accident, or just because two people can do foolish things together occasionally. Your comment makes it an issue of blame or lack of intelligence.

[sarge43]

28. You can do everything right and still lose.

The most desired pregnancy can go horribly wrong or the circumstances the woman is in can change for the worse, like lose her job.

[bettyellen]

5. "Irish women should" tell the like of you who blame her to STFUs

[Captain Hilts]

8. Agree. In Scotland it's 'fook off', in Ireland it's more 'fuu'uck off'. nt

[Warpy]

9. There is not always an element of choice for women

as to whether or not a male wears a condom (have y'all listened to yourselves?), whether he knows how to use it correctly, or even whether or not to have sex since the threat of abuse or abandonment if we refuse is always there. Wearing a condom and learning how to use it correctly is a man's job, not a woman's job.

However, women are the ones left holding the bag (and the baby) if the male is a selfish bastard or the condom fails and women are the ones who need safe, legal abortion as an option.

This report, anti woman whining aside, leaves out a couple of important details: for instance, how many women are injured or killed by illegal abortion and how many of those illegal abortions actually occur. I think the number of illegal abortions far outstrips the number of fairly well off Irish women who travel to Britain for a legal abortion, since that is the pattern in other countries where men have made abortion unsafe and illegal.

Ireland finally got divorce over the howls of the priests. Now it's time to make the priests howl some more, now that they're on the ropes over being an active or passive part of an international pedophilia ring. It's time to give the women of Ireland a real choice.

[Captain Hilts]

10. Yep. The younger you are. The greater the age difference between you and him, etc. nt

[CountAllVotes]

13. did it ever occur to anyone

that you cannot BUY CONDOMS IN IRELAND! It is against the law as are all forms of birth control.

Blame who you like. It takes two to tango.

:kick:

[Warpy]

25. There is, however, a thriving underground market

for condoms, cervical caps and even the pill.

Mother Rome is unable to stop it. They just increase the risk and potential profits.

[ensho]

29. yes. and if women have to go to Britian for abortion then men can go

to Britian to buy condoms.

[Dappleganger]

33. Or birth control.

The pill or something similar is really the most reliable form of birth control.

I am really SICK of pretend liberals who claim to be for women's rights yet say that women need to say 'NO'.

Give me a fucking break!!

[muriel_volestrangler]

37. Wrong. They are, however, expensive. But they, and other birth control methods, are legal

1 February 2008

The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has celebrated an important partial victory after the Government reduced VAT on condoms from 21% to 13.5% in the Finance Bill.

“Overpricing” of condoms has historically meant a practical restriction on their availability for young people, the age category statistically most at risk from Sexually Transmitted Infections, said USI.

More people buying and using condoms more regularly will cut the rate of new STI cases.

USI and the Crisis Pregnancy Agency will make this message central to SHAG Week (Sexual Health Awareness and Guidance). SHAG Week takes place in colleges nationwide, 11th - 15th February 2008.

http://www.irishpressreleases.ie/2008/02/01/usi-celebrates-condoms-vat-cut-victory/

(SHAG Week - :evilgrin: students, eh?)

Irish laws on condoms changed many years ago - this is from 1993: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/condoms-disgusting-ill-have-a-ribbed-pack-new-irish-laws-will-permit-the-sale-of-condoms-to-all-garry-young-meets-a-woman-who-blazed-a-trail-1489522.html

Contraception is available in Ireland, including emergency contraception:

http://www.ifpa.ie/index.php/eng/Media-Info-Centre/Ireland’s-Sexual-and-Reproductive-Health-History

http://ie.reachout.com/find/articles/emergency-contraception

[jody]

12. Women from other nations travel to the US for child birth so their kids are citizens. birth tourism.

Korean moms want 'born in USA' babies

[ensho]

15. true

nt

[Captain Hilts]

18. Not from Europe they don't. nt

[Cleobulus]

20. OK, I'll ask first, WTF does that have to do with this thread? n/t

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

35. Acconding to the poster, only two events actually occur in the Universe:

1) Damn librul trying to grab our guns; and
2) Damn furrinahs trying to invade America.

Anything else is unimportant.

[Cleobulus]

42. I don't understand how this poster hasn't been tombstoned yet...

I mean, a rather obvious freeper, and from all the posts this poster makes, every single one advocates a conservative, if not completely reactionary, position.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

46. You and me both, pal. You and me both. -nt

[KamaAina]

40. Nice thread hijack

Kthxbai.

[SheilaT]

19. I didn't realize that

condoms were the only form of birth control out there.

And that it's entirely a woman's fault if a pregnancy occurs.

Once again we see the "Men have nothing to do with it" mindset.

[ensho]

24. so I guess you didn't read this part:

"and the men of Ireland should stop being stupid."

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

38. Doesn't matter. Revealed self. Deal with it.

[Dappleganger]

27. More like once again, blame the woman and tell her to say NO.

[ensho]

30. I didn't 'blame' I advised

nt

[Dappleganger]

34. Either way, it's a right-wing meme.

[Dappleganger]

26. "Irish women should learn to say NO??"

How very progressive of you.

:eyes:

[ensho]

31. saying No is very progressive

nt

[Dappleganger]

32. That's not what you implied in your OP.

And not every woman has the education or the opportunity to say no. Many Irish women are captivated by the Catholic Church's teachings as well as abusive men. Saying 'NO' does not empower them, they simply MUST have access to birth control and LOCAL, safe abortion procedures.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

39. I wish there was a thread with that piece of news and sans misogyny.

If there was such a thread, I'd rec it.

[Codeine]

43. Exactly.

The moralizing completely undermined any point the poster may have been trying to make.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

45. Speaking of misogyny, where's seabeyond? Isn't she big against this?

Oh, I guess when the misogyny in of the moralistic, subtly anti-choice and anti-sex variety, it's OK. But say you like porn... now THAT is evil. :eyes:

[KamaAina]

41. This is the plot of Maeve Binchy's novel "London Transports"

that's how ingrained this practice has become.

Come on, Ireland! You've become so progressive in so many other ways. Time to let Irish women join the 21st century, or at least the 20th.

[Codeine]

44. Misogyny Event. nt