Pro-life group questions abortion statistics in sex survey

Abortion statistics from an in-depth survey on sexual health are inaccurate due to the way the questions were framed, the Pro-Life Campaign claimed today.

The Irish Study of Sexual Health and Relationships, funded by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency (CPA) and the Health Department, found attitudes towards abortion have undergone major changes since the early 1980s.

The research found 64% of those surveyed now say abortion is acceptable in at least some circumstances.

The study, which is based on a telephone survey of almost 7,500 people in the 18 to 64 year age bracket, is the first large-scale research of its type carried out in the state.

Dr Berry Kiely of the Pro-Life Campaign disputed the study’s findings with regards to abortion.

“Given the way the questions were framed the results are not at all surprising. The question dealing with abortion, for example, makes no distinction between ethical interventions in pregnancy to save the life of the mother and induced abortion where the life of the unborn child is directly targeted. By ignoring such crucial distinctions the survey is effectively meaningless,” Dr Kiely claimed.

“There is a fundamental difference between early delivery to protect the life of the mother, though the baby may not survive, and abortion carried out with the intention of targeting the life of the baby. Polls which take account of these distinctions consistently show pro-life majorities.”

Olive Braiden from the CPA, said: “The research is robust and we expect our researchers took all due care to ensure it is accurate.”