Abortion debate: Does Crimes Act make women feel like criminals?
Radio NZ News 22 May 2019
National MP Alfred Ngaro says having abortion in the Crimes Act doesn’t make women feel like criminals so no law change is necessary.
As the government considers options for law reform, more than 4000 people have signed a petition asking MPs to remove it from the Crimes Act.
The Law Commission has put forward three options for taking abortion out of the Crimes Act.
One leaves the decision entirely between the woman and her doctor, another requires a mental health assessment and third would only require such an assessment after 22 weeks of pregnancy.
Cabinet has yet to consider any legislation, but any Bill would be a conscience vote for MPs.
Mr Ngaro said yesterday that change is unnecessary.
A Voice for Life spokesperson Kate Cormack said that wasn’t what she heard from women.
“Their experiences are ones of being rushed, coerced, not being informed before an abortion. None of them talk to us about the issue around it being in the Crimes Act.”
She said removing it from the Crimes Act would minimise what abortion really was – the ending of a life.
READ MORE: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/389783/abortion-debate-does-crimes-act-make-women-feel-like-criminals
LINK TO THE REPORT: https://www.familyfirst.org.nz/research/abortion-health-of-women-2018/
