Pro-life campaigners protesting outside House of Commons in May.
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Pro-choice campaigners are concerned about the rise of the anti-abortion movement in the UK. It comes after protesters were seen outside Ealing clinic despite the introduction of a no-buffer zone back in October.
Speaking to city news, medical doctor and reproductive health activist Sonia Adesra says she has noticed more numbers among pro-life rallies recently, and notably a rise in young-male attendees. Adesra warns not to underestimate the anti-abortion sentiment in the UK, despite it being legalised in the UK since 1967.
“In our heads, we think it’s from the US, it’s fringe, it’s from older people. In actuality, in more universities, there are more anti-choice groups popping up.”
Sonia Adesra.
Adesra attributes this anti-abortion sentiment amongst young males towards a need in wanting to make the issue part of their political identity and labels this progression as very “concerning.”
Despite Adesra’s concerns, surveys from the National Centre for Social Research, the British Medical Journal and YouGov showcase that support from Britons towards a woman’s right to choose remains above 75%.
Journalist Sian Norris reaffirms these statistics by insisting that despite a new wave of anti-abortion attitudes, the majority of young people are pro-choice. Norris concedes that while anti-abortion attitudes could be shifting, it still remains part of a small movement, labelling them as a “very noisy minority.”
Nevertheless, anti-abortion activist Eden McCourt says that her campaign group, Abortion Resistance, which started 3 years ago, has hundreds of new young members, which she says has been showcased by the rise of pro-life societies in universities.
McCourt uses social media platforms such as TikTok to campaign against abortion. Speaking to City News, she points to TikTok as an effective platform to engage young people to “get to the heart of the issue” and counteract what she views as pro-abortion content aimed at young people.
“With the progression of technology, it has become harder and harder to deny the humanity of the unborn child.”
Eden McCourt
No-buffer zones
In October of this year, the UK government introduced no-buffer zones which offer protection for woman receiving treatment at abortion clinics. The measure was introduced to prevent woman being denied access to their respective clinic without facing protest from 150-metres within the vicinity.
Anti-abortion protestors continue to push the boundaries in protest at the measure, denouncing it as an infringement of their free speech. Just this last weekend, protestors were seen outside Ealing clinic in protest of abortion.
Eden McCourt told City News that the buffer zones are “horrendous”, “Orwellian”, and prevent the “peaceful right to protest.”
Sian Norris on the other hand remains less sympathetic to their concerns regarding free speech.
“They stand outside clinics, harass woman – you don’t have a right to harass woman. The hypocrisy of the anti-abortion political side on buffer zones is one thing but their tactics are so vile.”
Sian Norris
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HeadlinePro-choice campaigners concerned about the rise of anti-abortion movement
Short HeadlineConcerns over rise of anti-abortion movement
StandfirstRise of pro-life societies in universities and increase of young-male attendees at pro-life rallies should not be 'underestimated' warns activists
Pro-choice campaigners are concerned about the rise of the anti-abortion movement in the UK. It comes after protesters were seen outside Ealing clinic despite the introduction of a no-buffer zone back in October.
Speaking to city news, medical doctor and reproductive health activist Sonia Adesra says she has noticed more numbers among pro-life rallies recently, and notably a rise in young-male attendees. Adesra warns not to underestimate the anti-abortion sentiment in the UK, despite it being legalised in the UK since 1967.
“In our heads, we think it’s from the US, it’s fringe, it’s from older people. In actuality, in more universities, there are more anti-choice groups popping up.”
Sonia Adesra.
Adesra attributes this anti-abortion sentiment amongst young males towards a need in wanting to make the issue part of their political identity and labels this progression as very “concerning.”
Despite Adesra’s concerns, surveys from the National Centre for Social Research, the British Medical Journal and YouGov showcase that support from Britons towards a woman’s right to choose remains above 75%.
Journalist Sian Norris reaffirms these statistics by insisting that despite a new wave of anti-abortion attitudes, the majority of young people are pro-choice. Norris concedes that while anti-abortion attitudes could be shifting, it still remains part of a small movement, labelling them as a “very noisy minority.”
Nevertheless, anti-abortion activist Eden McCourt says that her campaign group, Abortion Resistance, which started 3 years ago, has hundreds of new young members, which she says has been showcased by the rise of pro-life societies in universities.
McCourt uses social media platforms such as TikTok to campaign against abortion. Speaking to City News, she points to TikTok as an effective platform to engage young people to “get to the heart of the issue” and counteract what she views as pro-abortion content aimed at young people.
“With the progression of technology, it has become harder and harder to deny the humanity of the unborn child.”
Eden McCourt
No-buffer zones
In October of this year, the UK government introduced no-buffer zones which offer protection for woman receiving treatment at abortion clinics. The measure was introduced to prevent woman being denied access to their respective clinic without facing protest from 150-metres within the vicinity.
Anti-abortion protestors continue to push the boundaries in protest at the measure, denouncing it as an infringement of their free speech. Just this last weekend, protestors were seen outside Ealing clinic in protest of abortion.
Eden McCourt told City News that the buffer zones are “horrendous”, “Orwellian”, and prevent the “peaceful right to protest.”
Sian Norris on the other hand remains less sympathetic to their concerns regarding free speech.
“They stand outside clinics, harass woman – you don’t have a right to harass woman. The hypocrisy of the anti-abortion political side on buffer zones is one thing but their tactics are so vile.”
