'No one else should decide': Campaigner calls for scrapping of three-day abortion wait

Shaneda Daly has previously spoken publicly about becoming pregnant as a teenager as a result of years of abuse and has campaigned on issues affecting survivors of sexual violence.

“It's already traumatic enough for a woman to go to the doctor to request an abortion. It's not an easy thing to decide."

Those are the words of abuse survivor Shaneda Daly, who has called for Ireland's three-day abortion waiting period to be scrapped.

Her comments come amid ongoing debate over proposals to abolish the mandatory three-day waiting period contained in Ireland's abortion legislation.

The mother of six from Shannon, Co. Clare, who became pregnant as a result of sexual abuse by her father when she was just 17 years old, said women seeking terminations have already spent significant time considering their options before attending a doctor and should not be subjected to further delays.

"The three-day reflection is only that," she said. “It will prolong any suffering that women feel in this situation.

"It's already traumatic enough for a woman to go to the doctor to request an abortion. It's not an easy thing to decide no matter what the circumstances.” 

Ms Daly, now 51 years old, said the mandatory waiting period does not reflect the reality facing many women and can add unnecessary stress to an already difficult situation.

She said the decision to end a pregnancy should rest solely with the woman involved.

She said:

If a woman has decided she needs to end her pregnancy, it's her decision. 

"No one else should decide, therefore no one else should delay her.” 

Ms Daly's intervention carries particular significance given her own experience.

She has previously spoken publicly about becoming pregnant as a teenager as a result of years of abuse and has campaigned on issues affecting survivors of sexual violence.

Supporters of removing the waiting period argue that it creates unnecessary barriers to healthcare, while opponents say it provides an important opportunity for reflection before a life-changing decision is made.

Shaneda’s father, ex-Limerick prison officer Harry Daly, was sentenced to 10 years in jail in 2011 after years of rape and sexual assault on his eldest daughter from February 1, 1982, to November 30, 1992, and holds the highest rape charges in the history of the state.

In 2010, he signed 227 pleas, 103 of indecent assault, 24 of sex assault on Shaneda. Since then, Ms Daly has campaigned for better services and support for survivors since helping to jail her father.