We need to stop spreading lies about the Morning After Pill – Rosianne Cutajar

“We need to stop spreading lies about the Morning After Pill (MAP) and stop spreading prejudice against women,” Parliamentary Secretary for Equality and Reforms Rosianne Cutajar said in Parliament.

Cutajar began her adjournment speech on in Parliament by explaining the role of the morning after pill (MAP).

MAP is a type of emergency birth control which prevents pregnancy for women who have had unprotected sex or whose birth control method failed. It is recommended that women take the pill within 72 hours after having intercourse and the earlier it is taken the more effective it can be in preventing an unwanted pregnancy.

“We need to have the courage to speak about subjects which we might not feel comfortable with. We cannot be shy when speaking about sex, as there is nothing to be ashamed about. Instead, it is our responsibility to provide the correct information, make sure our children learn about sex at school, and not through pornography, and understand that sexual health is just as important as our physical and mental health.”

“Whatever the case may be, I believe it is no one’s business as to why women take the morning after pill. It’s their own decision,” said Cutajar.

Recently, a MaltaToday report showed that, on average, 64% of pharmacies that are open on a Sunday sell the MAP. 20 pharmacies are open on any Sunday, and the MAP is still unavailable at Mater Dei Hospital.

“We need to make sure that MAP is available and accessible to everyone, and we need to stop providing false information that such a pill is equivalent to an abortion,” Cutajar said. “Do not believe the lies they tell you, all the three MAP pills available in Malta state that the pills are not abortive. Do not let these people who lie stop you from taking your decisions.”

Despite MAP being introduced in Malta back in 2016 as an over the counter medication, there is still a lot of taboo and stigma surrounding its use.

“Malta is the only European country which criminalises abortion, so common sense would tell you that we should be in favour of all use of contraceptives so that we can avoid women facing unwanted pregnancies. Instead we continue the stigma and shaming of women.”

She said that sticking to the stigma that MAP is abortive is only making the situation in Malta worse. Such argument comes from prejudice against women and against the sexual liberation of women.

Cutajar also took a dig at PN MP Edwin Vassallo, who she said had shared incorrect information about MAP. Most recently, Vassallo stirred controversy when he wrote that linking EU funding to respect of LGBT rights would be ‘Marxism at Best’. Whilst Vassallo explained that he was commenting about European Commissioner Helena Dalli, the comment made headlines.

“I am worried that there are members of Parliament, and I make reference here to Edwin Vassallo, who share such misinformation on such an important topic. There are those people who believe that women are only here to bring children into this world; but we are here to do so much more.”

She said that she is shocked that the PN leader, Bernard Grech, has not commented about Vassallo’s comment, like he did when he disassociated himself and the party from his LGBT comment.

“This just shows how much more work we have to do in this country. It is no shock that the Nationalist Party is stuck in the 50s and is only moving backwards.”

Cutajar also made reference that the fact that some pharmacists refuse to sell MAP on the grounds of conscience. “Every pharmacy should sell this pill and it should be fully accessible. If a pharmacist sells a condom, then their consciousness should allow them to sell the MAP.”