NUS is amongst the campaigners and will unite against MPs who try to take women’s rights away.
Pro-choice is the political and ethical view that a woman has control over her fertility and the choice to continue or terminate a pregnancy. This includes access to sex education, contraception and safe and legal abortion.
But not everyone agrees that women have the right to choose. Anti-abortion MPs are set to restrict women’s abortion rights when the bill is voted on next Wednesday (22 October), despite the anti-abortion amendment to lower the time limit from 24 weeks being thrown out earlier in the year.
NUS believes women should always have the right to choose and is working with Abortion Rights to ensure next week’s bill reflects this. Research shows that eighty-three per cent of women believe it is a woman’s right to choose. Abortion Rights believes the law should reflect that majority.
The right decision
One woman who is glad she had the right to choose is Amy (not her real name). Amy was raped when she was 20. Soon after her ordeal, she discovered she was pregnant.
“A man had sex with me whilst I slept, thinking that some drunken flirting in a club that night meant he could do so,” recalls Amy. “When I woke up and asked him to stop he didn't. Eleven weeks later I was pregnant.
“I immediately asked my doctor to arrange an abortion. She did ask me if I wanted to think about it, and informed me of the support available if I wanted to go through with the pregnancy, but I was certain I wanted an abortion.”
Amy, who is now 23, says despite the stigma attached to abortion, she knows she made the right decision. “There was a stigma attached that made me feel like a tart, but once I went to the clinic and met the other women there I had a clearer view on it. Some of the women there were married and pushing 50...they weren't tarts.
“I'm glad I had the choice and that I went through with it. I'm living an amazing life full of adventure and I couldn't do that if I'd not had the abortion.”
Amy was lucky to have the support of her doctor and her friends and family but not everyone does. And with little information available for women who are considering an abortion, the choice becomes even harder. But, as Amy is keen to point out, you are not alone. “There is always someone you can turn to, and if it's not a friend then there are support networks that you can get in touch with."
Amy’s story highlights why women should have the right to choose, a right NUS and Abortion Rights will continue to fight for.
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