Scottish Catholic Observer

Alison Hall, 50, had an abortion herself, but is now recovering thanks to assistance from a pro-life group, and she joined other campaigners in Edinburgh last Friday in demanding action on the 50th anniversary of the implementation of the Abortion Act.

In a symbolic gesture, the campaigners (right) pushed five empty prams, representing the 500,000 lives lost to abortion in Scotland, to the front door of Edinburgh’s Bute House, the residence of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, on April 27.

The petition, signed by 15,000 supporters of pro-life charity SPUC Scotland, opposes a push by activists for the decriminalisation of abortion. The Bute House march comes ahead of an upcoming legal battle over the introduction of home abortions in Scotland.

After having her abortion, Ms Hall, of Irvine, felt she ‘should keep quiet because of the shame and the guilt.’ She said she hopes the petition will lead to ‘more openness and increased awareness’ allowing ‘women to be able to talk and share.’

“That is what’s going to help women,” she said.

At the age of 21, Ms Hall, a newly qualified nurse, was abroad in Canada. At that time ‘without any social structure’ she fell pregnant and felt very isolated. With a history of depression and suffering from panic attacks, Ms Hall said doctors twice told her ‘that I wouldn’t be fit as a mother.’

Once she had the abortion, Ms Hall admitted that she got an immediate sense of relief—but it was short-lived.

“Once you’ve had an abortion you get an immediate sense of relief because you think it’s going to be over. Then as quick as that happens you get depression and anxiety,” she said. “Because of the emotional pain and the stress it causes it can very often lead to addictions, and that became my pathway after abortion: one destructive relationship after another, isolation, alcohol abuse, and addiction—until I received help.”

Among the help Ms Hall would receive was that of Abortion Recovery Care and Helpline (ARCH), an organisation that supports those who have been negatively affected by an abortion decision, and Rachel’s Vineyard, which hold spiritual retreats for those affected by abortion.

Looking at her life now, Ms hall spoke confidently, reflecting the help she had received and the changes that had made to her life.

“I’m in a good place, I’m in a place where I’m enjoying helping other people, helping vulnerable women like myself,” she said. “That’s very often the case [when having an abortion]—it’s because you’re so vulnerable. Even in my case it was an older man and the vulnerability of a younger woman. My heart is in helping others because I have been helped so much.”

Ms Hall went on to have a family herself. “I have a son, a 16-year-old son, he’s doing well at school,” she said. “There’s some great relationship building with him now which is fantastic. So that gives hope to other women as well: you can build a mother and son relationship. There’s a lot of hope in recovery.”

In the coming months SPUC will have a legal battle on their hands as they take the government to court over plans to allow women to take abortion pills at home.

“Its not healthcare, its barbaric,” Ms Hall said, describing the so-called ‘DIY abortion plans.’

“I think it’s a completely unsafe medical practice,” she said, highlighting the potential ‘psychological, mental and physical’ harm it could cause to women.

John Deighan, chief executive of SPUC Scotland, spoke separately on the matter, ­highlighting that ‘there’s a higher risk of complication’ in medical abortions pill than in surgery, describing the DIY plan as ‘cavalier.’

Mr Deighan emphasised the two-fold effect of taking the abortion pill at home. He said that not only would there be a likely ‘spike in complications’ but there would be a drastic effect to women’s’ mental health.

“With a medical [home] abortion you will be able to see the baby,” Mr Deighan said, adding that even if the baby is ‘tiny at the time’ that still has an impact on woman who will go through the procedure themselves.