BPAS: Rattled as a Rattlesnake in Rattleshire

Abortionist advertisement by Marie Stopes in the BMJ

Courtesy of the Daily Mail

'New doctors will be put off from providing abortion services after recent pro-life protests at clinics around the UK, medical providers have warned.

Activists from groups such as '40 Days for Life' have been holding daily prayer vigils outside clinics run by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service in London.

Although the group claim their protests are peaceful some have accused them of intimidation. Last month one woman complained she was filmed leaving a BPAS clinic.

Abortion providers said trainee medics will also be put off from training as the service has recently come under intense political scrutiny. A spokesman for the BPAS said: 'Abortion is a vital yet stigmatised area of women's healthcare which few doctors train in. The current politicisation of abortion provision is likely to make it even harder to recruit a future generation of abortion doctors who are prepared to provide the care that a third of women will need in the course of their lifetimes.'

In other words: "Don't even think about 'turning the clock' back or of campaigning against what we do because otherwise doctors won't come forward to kill the unborn"...

A couple of things become apparent in this recent bit of media engineering by BPAS. Firstly, they are complaining of the current 'politicisation' of abortion provision. Well, back in 1967 and the years running up to that fateful year, I guess BPAS were not concerned about the 'politicisation' of the issue of abortion. After all, abortion was part of the 'women's liberation' and the 'sexual revolution' movement in general. There were banners, there were placards, there were demands for 'choice'. It was highly charged and a heavily politicised issue. If it hadn't been so 'politicised', I guess the Abortion Act wouldn't have passed.

BPAS and Marie Stopes continue to lobby the Government for wider access to be made available for abortion services in the United Kingdom. BPAS don't have a problem with politicising abortion. What they do have a problem with is not being in control of the debate. The activities of 40 Days for Life, The Telegraph's investigation, as well as the recent Care Quality Commission findings about illegal procedures taking place at clinics is throwing the spotlight on the abortion issue in a way that makes BPAS a little uncomfortable. And, uncomfortable, they most definitely should be. BPAS are upset not because the issue is politicised, but because they are no longer in control of the debate. In fact, they are uncomfotable because, suddenly, there is a debate.

There has been significant and more clamourous protests against abortion in the United States for a long time since Roe Vs Wade, but that has not stopped Planned Parenthood from extending its services all across the US. Similarly, however, Planned Parenthood is now worried because similarly illegal activities have been exposed in the US. Will pro-life campaigning, awareness-raising and prayer vigils impact on the number of doctors willing to become abortionists in the UK? It is hard to say, but then this is an issue of freedom of speech and until the day that it becomes illegal for people to bear witness to the unborn outside clinics, pro-lifers can surely only hope and pray that such vigils awaken the conscience of not just doctors performing abortion, nor just doctors thinking of applying for work as abortionists, but indeed that of the whole nation.

The BPAS statement also throws some light on whose choice an abortion really is: It is not the choice of the mother - the mother exercises choice in giving her consent - the real choice is that of the doctor who performs the procedure and the choice for that doctor is to hold life and death in his or her hands and to choose death for the unborn. The procedure is not carried out by the woman, but by the doctor. It is interesting to note, too, that actually, not many doctors want to go into this area of work. Now, why could that be?

Thanks to one of my readers for pointing out to me the Daily Mail's other interesting story today for pro-lifers. Apparently, babies are being medicated in the womb to prevent them from becoming obese. Whatever you think about that, because personally I think it is highly dubious, well done to the Mail for recognising the humanity of the pre-born. I suppose its better than killing them because they've inherited the 'fat gene'. Yes, that's right - incredible as it may appear to modern eyes and ears, babies in the womb really are babies and Robbie Williams already knows his unborn baby is a girl! Good for you, Robbie, good for you. All of these stories aren't good for BPAS. Ah well, too bad...