Alison O’Connor: It is time we finally addressed the reality of abortion
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The BBC journalist was in Ireland doing a vox pop on our upcoming referendum, sounding out attitudes to the termination of pregnancies. As she chatted to a young woman in Claremorris, Co Mayo, she pointed out to her something she had noticed.
Do you realise that whenever you mention the actual word abortion your voice quietens, the Woman’s Hour journalist Siobhann Tighe remarked. But as the young woman pointed out, the subject in question, in this small Irish town, was “hush, hush”. The young woman, who didn’t give her name, was a yes voter.
“My opinion’s kinda changed over the last few years — I used to be very against abortion but I’ve changed my mind,” explained the interviewee, who was then asked why her view had changed.
I just think if someone wants to have an abortion they are going to get it done anyway. I think a lot of people, especially in my age group , in my generation… I think the older generation are ‘No that’s a sin, it shouldn’t be done, that’s murder’ whatever. I don’t agree.
It’s always interesting to observe ourselves through the eyes of outsiders, particularly on this issue which has caused such a cleft in our society for so long. So it was at that point the journalist, whose parents as it happens are Irish, made her own observation. “I think it is really interesting speaking to you. You sound so confident, but I don’t know whether you realise, but when you say the word the abortion you say it quite quietly.”
The young woman explained this was a difficult topic in Ireland. People were afraid to say they were for, or against, abortion.
I think people here, because it is such a small town and everyone knows everyone, they’d be afraid to say their thoughts, because the next thing it would be: ‘did you hear yer yan is with it, or yer wan is against it’ or whatever it is. So I just think it is very hush hush here in this town and in a lot of small towns.
Obviously this broadcast package included other voices — yes and no voters — but there was so much encapsulated in that interview for me.
The confident young woman who did not wish to give her name, who had once been against abortion but had changed her mind after reflecting on the hardship it brought on women, the complete reluctance to discuss it publicly in a small Irish town, and if so, not to identify yourself; the almost universal acknowledgement among those questioned that abortion was so divisive that it was best spoken about privately.
A few days later another Claremorris woman was interviewed for the programme. This time it took place up in Dublin, at Leinster House. It was the chair of the Oireachtas Committee on the 8th Amendment, Senator Catherine Noone. Among the many points she made is that if only people had been able to hear “only a fraction” of the evidence that had come before her Committee it would be of huge assistance to them with their vote.
Having listened through the evidence there myself, and all that heard by the Citizen’s Assembly before it, that’s exactly what I wish too. The argument against abortion is such an easier and more concise one to make. But listening to what people had to say at both those forums, to my mind, you couldn’t help but conclude that voting yes on Friday is the correct decision. There are a myriad of reasons why, but just none of them as easily argued as “you’re killing a baby”.
I’ve tried to remain calm throughout this campaign. There are many people, we do not yet know how many, who hold a different position. I respect that.
What I do not respect though is those on the no side who — as evidenced by the outrageous behaviour on the referendum debate on the Claire Byrne Live show — shout over, and attempt to intellectually bully people who advocate a yes vote. I’ve come to think of it as being “Ionasplained” and despite my best efforts at restraint, it totally gets my dander up.
Personally I’ve struggled with the idea of what abortion does, the ending of that potential for life. In an ideal world all children would be wanted and women who struggled would be assisted emotionally and financially and adoption would be considered a good option, But having thought about it long and hard, and taken on board as much information as I possibly can, I concluded some time ago that it would be a barbarism to Irish women not to pass this referendum. I understand how people are struggling with the idea, especially of allowing abortion up to 12 weeks. But as the evidence to the 8th Committee and the Assembly showed, there is no other way to accommodate women who have been raped and become pregnant, or pregnant through incest.
But that is not all. In the mornings, after I’ve done the school run, my thoughts will turn to the 10 or so Irish women who’ve travelled to the UK and had an abortion in a clinic that morning, and would be facing the lonely journey home, sore and uncomfortable, after being exiled by their own state to undergo this procedure.
Or I think of the couple who may have travelled to Liverpool to undergo a termination having received a diagnosis of fatal foetal abnormality and are facing the trip home on the ferry with their dead baby in their car; wondering how they can best preserve the body of that infant if the temperature is high, or how best to explain to ferry staff or customs officials the precious cargo they are carrying. Or the people who decide to have their baby cremated in the UK and receive their baby’s ashes by courier a few weeks later.
I also think of the abortions happening all over Ireland every day, occurring as a result of women taking the abortion pill which they will have obtained illegally.
One of the many things that has stuck with me these recent weeks was hearing that some women even take the additional step of booking into a hotel room so that they can take the pill in absolute privacy without the eyes or concern or curiosity of family, or housemates or perhaps an abusive partner.
Might they have taken that step so that no one else could be involved in the event they were prosecuted for taking that pill which has a potential jail sentence of 14 years? Imagine the isolation of that, on your own in that hotel room, wondering how long the process will take, how painful it might be, whether it is going to work, whether you might need medical attention and dare risk seeking it? It is only a matter of time before an Irish woman in this potential scenario decides that it is not worth the potential risk, and who dies as a result of her fear of going to a hospital.
I also think of how a woman raped in Ireland who gets pregnant and takes an abortion pill potentially faces that 14 -year jail sentence while her rapist might serve around eight years.
The vote on Friday is truly a once in a generation opportunity. It has been such a divisive subject in Irish public life it is really important there is a good voter turnout. We need to be able to look upon the result and say it truly is the will of the majority of the Irish people and not just a small number of them.
When I enter the polling booth myself on Friday I will be voting yes for all those reasons that I have outlined. I hope there will be enough of my fellow citizens doing similarly to carry this referendum. It really is time.
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