WE respond to this week's decision in Northern Ireland to prosecute a woman for abortion

The Women’s Equality Party (WE) today condemned the decision of a Belfast court in sentencing a Northern Irish woman to three months in prison, suspended for a year, after she pleaded guilty to taking abortion pills.

“WE consider any denial of reproductive rights to women to be an act of violence,” said party leader Sophie Walker, “and WE will always oppose any attempt to limit access to contraception, termination or medical support during pregnancy.”

The woman at the centre of the court case bought pills over the internet to induce an abortion. In Northern Ireland abortions are only legal when the life or mental health of the mother is believed to be in danger.

Walker added: “It is utterly wrong that women who choose to end their pregnancies should face prosecution. Abortion should be a choice a woman can make for herself, and should be regulated in the same way as women’s other healthcare needs. WE call for the Victorian-era legislation that criminalises abortion to be scrapped.”

Published April 06, 2016