Alyssa Radtke
Period 4
AP Comparative Government and Politics
2/27/2017
Abortion Policy in the United Kingdom and Iran
The United Kingdom and Iran differ greatly in their abortion policies. While both countries protect abortions done in order to save the mother’s life, the timeline for these abortions and the number of other reasons for abortion are very different. The United Kingdom’s policies regarding abortion are ultimately more effective than Iran’s because Iran has thousands of illegal abortions each year while the United Kingdom has far less. The United Kingdom’s history on abortion policy is long and fairly complicated, but reforms have led to an increase in the legality and availability of abortions and thus led to a decrease …show more content…
During the 1930s, women’s groups and MPs were deeply concerned about the great loss of life and damage to health resulting from unsafe, illegal abortions, and in 1936 The Abortion Law Reform Association (ALRA) was established ("History of Abortion Law in the UK."). Its aim was to campaign for the legalisation of abortion. Two years after ALRA was established, in a landmark case, Dr. Alex Bourne was acquitted of having performed an illegal abortion ("History of Abortion Law in the UK."). He believed that abortion should be legal in exceptional circumstances and, most courageously, admitted having performed an abortion for a gang-raped 14-year-old who was suicidal. He argued that the law did permit abortion before 28 weeks and did allow abortion when a woman’s mental or physical health was in danger. The court agreed that this was a life-threatening situation and acquitted Dr. Bourne. As a result some women were able to get a safe abortion. In the fifties, thanks to ALRA support for reform grew ("History of Abortion Law in the UK."). However, illegal abortion was still killing or ruining the health of many women. ALRA led the campaign in support of David Steel MP’s private member’s bill to legalise …show more content…
In 1974, the Abortion Act was threatened by James White’s private member’s bill, sponsored by an anti-choice organisation. ALRA and other pro-choice groups combined to defend the 1967 Act against this, and successive attacks ("History of Abortion Law in the UK."). Whilst ALRA and others made more formal representations, women’s groups organised demonstrations and meetings, many brandishing wire coat-hangers, symbolic of dangerous back-street abortion methods. The campaign led to the formation of the National Abortion Campaign (NAC) in 1975 which is to protect and improve the 1967 Act ("History of Abortion Law in the UK."). In the United Kingdom today, abortion policies are virtually the same in all regions. In England, Wales, and Scotland, abortions may occur within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy for reasons including: to save the life of the mother, to protect her physical or mental health, to terminate pregnancies involving fetal abnormality, or for social or economic reasons. In cases in which the mother’s life or health is “gravely threatened” or there is significant risk for fetal abnormality, there is no time limit on when an abortion may be performed (Ralston and Podrebarac). Although abortion is legal, a pregnant woman must essentially ask permission by demonstrating that her reasons are satisfactory to
Period 4
AP Comparative Government and Politics
2/27/2017
Abortion Policy in the United Kingdom and Iran
The United Kingdom and Iran differ greatly in their abortion policies. While both countries protect abortions done in order to save the mother’s life, the timeline for these abortions and the number of other reasons for abortion are very different. The United Kingdom’s policies regarding abortion are ultimately more effective than Iran’s because Iran has thousands of illegal abortions each year while the United Kingdom has far less. The United Kingdom’s history on abortion policy is long and fairly complicated, but reforms have led to an increase in the legality and availability of abortions and thus led to a decrease …show more content…
During the 1930s, women’s groups and MPs were deeply concerned about the great loss of life and damage to health resulting from unsafe, illegal abortions, and in 1936 The Abortion Law Reform Association (ALRA) was established ("History of Abortion Law in the UK."). Its aim was to campaign for the legalisation of abortion. Two years after ALRA was established, in a landmark case, Dr. Alex Bourne was acquitted of having performed an illegal abortion ("History of Abortion Law in the UK."). He believed that abortion should be legal in exceptional circumstances and, most courageously, admitted having performed an abortion for a gang-raped 14-year-old who was suicidal. He argued that the law did permit abortion before 28 weeks and did allow abortion when a woman’s mental or physical health was in danger. The court agreed that this was a life-threatening situation and acquitted Dr. Bourne. As a result some women were able to get a safe abortion. In the fifties, thanks to ALRA support for reform grew ("History of Abortion Law in the UK."). However, illegal abortion was still killing or ruining the health of many women. ALRA led the campaign in support of David Steel MP’s private member’s bill to legalise …show more content…
In 1974, the Abortion Act was threatened by James White’s private member’s bill, sponsored by an anti-choice organisation. ALRA and other pro-choice groups combined to defend the 1967 Act against this, and successive attacks ("History of Abortion Law in the UK."). Whilst ALRA and others made more formal representations, women’s groups organised demonstrations and meetings, many brandishing wire coat-hangers, symbolic of dangerous back-street abortion methods. The campaign led to the formation of the National Abortion Campaign (NAC) in 1975 which is to protect and improve the 1967 Act ("History of Abortion Law in the UK."). In the United Kingdom today, abortion policies are virtually the same in all regions. In England, Wales, and Scotland, abortions may occur within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy for reasons including: to save the life of the mother, to protect her physical or mental health, to terminate pregnancies involving fetal abnormality, or for social or economic reasons. In cases in which the mother’s life or health is “gravely threatened” or there is significant risk for fetal abnormality, there is no time limit on when an abortion may be performed (Ralston and Podrebarac). Although abortion is legal, a pregnant woman must essentially ask permission by demonstrating that her reasons are satisfactory to