Abortion under the spotlight in the European Court of Human Rights

AS a guy I am pro choice, I support a general right to abortion as exists in the UK or Scandanavian countries rather than women having to prove that their circumstances fall within a particular set of rules.

This decisions doesn't actually change the legal position all that much but it does change it politically. Had the court ruled in favour of A (who had dire financial circumstances and whose children had been taken in to care ) it would have significantly advanced the right to abortion in Ireland. The court also dismissed B's case who was suffering an ectopic pregnancy. I would have actually expected this case to succeed. In the case of C the judgment simply re-affirms the ruling of the X case and entitles the woman to compensation as the State did not allow her vindicate her right to a termination in Ireland which was necessary to save her life.

The immediate need is for the State to legislate for abortion based on the narrow grounds allowed for in the X case. Howver sooner or later we are going to need to decide on what additional grounds abortion should be available. Ideally a referendum would be held to delete the 8th amendment which created this mess in the first place. The Oireachtas would then be free to legislate for abortion in line with the wishes of the people as expressed in an election ie the parties would in their manifestos set out how they would legislate in this area and then the Dail would subdequently pass the required legislation.

We should also be considering what we can do to reduce the need for abortion including better sex education, reducing the cost of contraception / make it available free to those who need it and providing the morning after pill over the counter. Today is a significant step towards finally dealing with all aspects of this issue in a mature manner.

orourkeda wrote: »

While you might scoff at my "stereotyping" of women who fall pregnant in less than flattering circumstances. It does happen and it didnt stop in the 1980's.

Your arguments are

a) ..............

I hadn't actually made any, I'm merely pointing out the old 'control the wanton hussy' theme and other such nonsense as it arises.

I'm pro-choice with a full stop after it. I don't think that the 'womans right to choose' really needs any other argument than itself.

ze ruling wrote:

“Consequently, the court concluded that Ireland had breached the third applicant’s – "C" – right to respect for her private life given the failure to implement the existing constitutional right to a lawful abortion in Ireland.”

...like I said earlier, a totally unnessecary case, defended for five poxy years at christ knows how much cost.

As a British expat of 7 years in Ireland I've watched with revulsion as people's wives, daughters, girlfriends, sisters etc are subjected to the added uncalled for burden of traveling to the UK or Holland for an abortion.

I've borne witness to how the enforced temporary banishment of your women affected by an unwanted/ill advised/accidental pregnancy exponentially increased the harrowing nature of a truly life shattering decision.

Any country apathetic to such wanton misogyny is in the dark ages.

I just wonder if the NIMBYism concerning abortion demonstrated in past referendums would still hold sway today? If so it's a ****ing travesty.

prinz wrote: »

You could always, you know, not have sex. Then again that concept is complete beyond the comprehension of most posters here I would imagine.

Secondly to that you could always educate yourself as to the biological process of the menstrual cycle and ovulation etc and desist from sex for the period when it is possible to become pregnant. Thirdly add in multiple forms of contraception if needs be.



Does the father get a real say in whether an abortion occurs or not?

That's a good question; however the premise of your question is that you're the father of a baby. You're not. You've fertilised an embryo. End of. You're not a father of anything yet.

My position as a realist (note: not father) towards a woman I've helped make pregnant is one of empathy; it's the only one I believe I'm entitled to, and it's this:

"I'll support you in any decision you make".

And I dare say that should be the position of the State as well.