The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
We need to take responsibility for what happened Savita and change our laws
SIR, Saturday, October 28, marked the fifth anniversary of the tragic death of Savita Halappanavar. As a young woman from Galway, her story has stuck with me the past five years and served as a reminder of the dangers the Eighth Amendment. I hope to start a family of my own some day, and to think I could end up in the same situation is, quite frankly, terrifying.
Her untimely death was caused by legal uncertainty as a result of the Eighth Amendment and unfortunately very little has changed. When my sister became pregnant, I pleaded with her to return home to the UK to give birth for precisely that reason. She was my living, breathing, sister and I was worried for her safety if anything were to go wrong in Ireland. I didn’t trust that she would be prioritised and I’m glad I convinced her not to stay.
Pro-Choice groups nationwide held vigils on the 28th to honour Savita’s memory and ensure that another tragedy like this can never happen again. Pro-Life groups, on the other hand, held so-called ‘street blitzs’ to distribute literature. I don’t feel that handing out leaflets which call for the retention of the laws which contributed to Savita Halappanavar’s death should be handed out on her anniversary. It seems to me that certain pro-life groups and individuals aren’t concerned with honouring Savita’s memory at all. I feel the time has come for us, as a country, to take responsibility for what happened to Savita and finally change our laws.
It’s well past time we put women to the forefront and began to respect their autonomy over their body, their ability to make decisions for themselves and their health and wellbeing in pregnancy and childbirth. The Eighth Amendment never belonged in the Constitution. In 2018 we have the chance to put that to rights and to trust and care for women, we have the chance to Repeal the Eighth Amendment, for me and for women like me, I sincerely hope we do. Sincerely,
Suzanne Coombs (student), Galway.