No woman in England or Wales can be prosecuted for an abortion any more

Paco Dennis

Paco Dennis

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After years of campaigning, England and Wales have officially decriminalised abortion for women in a “landmark moment” as part of proposed changes to the Crime and Policing Bill.

The government has now formally done away with the ancient Offences Against the Person Act from 1861 and the Infant Life (Preservation) Act of 1929, both of which saw women and girls open to arrest, investigation or prosecution in relation to procuring an abortion for themselves. Recent years have seen a worrying increase in criminal cases, after minimal incidences for decades, as more anti-abortion groups receive funding in the UK.
It's official: No woman in England or Wales can be prosecuted for an abortion any more
 
The situation in Australia - all states.

Abortion decriminalised Australia-wide

PROJECT | Reproductive Rights

For years, the Human Rights Law Centre has been fighting to ensure abortion is treated as healthcare and wiped from the criminal laws of every state and territory around Australia. In September 2023, we reached this critical milestone.​

Every person should have the power to decide what’s right for their body and their future. That’s why advancing reproductive freedom in Australia has long been a goal of the Human Rights Law Centre.

With the passing of WA’s abortion laws in 2023, abortion by doctors was decriminalised and replaced by health-focused laws in each state and territory of Australia.

Across Australia, abortion is finally being treated as healthcare in our laws. This follows decriminalisation reforms we helped secure in South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory between 2018 and 2021.

In addition to decriminalisation, the Human Rights Law Centre has been actively involved in making it safer for all people who are pregnant to be able to access.

In 2015, we partnered with Dr Susie Allanson, who worked as a clinical psychologist at Melbourne Fertility Control Clinic for 26 years, to push for safe access zones in Victoria. Together, we fought for these to be expanded across the country, and then with the support of Maurice Blackburn, defended these hard-fought wins in the High Court in 2019.

The decriminalisation of abortion Australia-wide was achieved through generations of protest and advocacy from organisations and individuals around Australia.

We worked closely with many incredible community advocates, doctors, nurses, social workers, lawyers and politicians, and heard many brave women tell their stories. This win for reproductive freedom is a testament to their determination and to collaborative action.

Abortion decriminalised Australia-wide - Human Rights Law Centre
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I am either blessed or cursed with the whole picture theory popping in my mind
and I have to wonder "why the change, good or bad, now? I can see other reasons for it
that aren't so "it's a woman's right" but can't be said out loud.
I have problems with accepting a big change "for the good of the people" as given to be
of honest and cheer worthy intentions.
 
IrishEyes said:
I am either blessed or cursed with the whole picture theory popping in my mind
and I have to wonder "why the change, good or bad, now? I can see other reasons for it
that aren't so "it's a woman's right" but can't be said out loud.
I have problems with accepting a big change "for the good of the people" as given to be
of honest and cheer worthy intentions.
Click to expand...
Huh?
 
Paco Dennis said:
After years of campaigning, England and Wales have officially decriminalised abortion for women in a “landmark moment” as part of proposed changes to the Crime and Policing Bill.

The government has now formally done away with the ancient Offences Against the Person Act from 1861 and the Infant Life (Preservation) Act of 1929, both of which saw women and girls open to arrest, investigation or prosecution in relation to procuring an abortion for themselves. Recent years have seen a worrying increase in criminal cases, after minimal incidences for decades, as more anti-abortion groups receive funding in the UK.
It's official: No woman in England or Wales can be prosecuted for an abortion any more
Click to expand...

As it stands in the OP, it seems a bit misleading, without adding clearly the rest of the context.

From what I understand, the change from the previous 1967 law is relatively small but significant, in that a woman herself can no longer be prosecuted for ending her own pregnancy outside the original framework in law.

The rest of the legal framework still remains. Abortion is still governed by the Abortion Act 1967, which sets out things like time limits of up to 24 weeks in most cases. In law it still requires the approval by two doctors, and that it must be carried out by registered medical professionals in approved settings.

Those carrying out abortions can still face legal consequences if they act outside the 1967 framework, but not the woman or girl. So it’s not simply a free for all.

It’s not the case of, "...England and Wales have officially decriminalised abortion"
 
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IrishEyes said:
I am either blessed or cursed with the whole picture theory popping in my mind
and I have to wonder "why the change, good or bad, now? I can see other reasons for it
that aren't so "it's a woman's right" but can't be said out loud.
I have problems with accepting a big change "for the good of the people" as given to be
of honest and cheer worthy intentions.
Click to expand...
I can also see reasons to decriminalize abortions other than "A women's right to her body". The state is a heartless institution, and they sometimes make laws that some people think are heartless. But, we live in a culture of laws. The wealthy don't have to always follow the laws, but the poor among us do. Just look at the incarceration stats.

If for religious reasons people protest this decriminalization, then maybe the pendulum will swing back the other way. But, with the train wreck of an economic crisis approaching, I am not sure that having tons of babies is going to insure anyone's survival.
 
It's been legal in Holland for decennia. It's legal and free until 24 weeks.
A friend is a nurse. When she got her diploma in the 90s she went to a hospital to try get a job. They said: You also have to do abortions. When the kid has a dangerous illness? No just any abortion. Everyone has to do them. Otherwise it's not fair if it's always the same ones. Okay. She went to another hospital.
 
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