The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Abortion clinic buffers backed by FM backed by FM
An abortion summit held yesterday was hailed as an important opportunity to “reaffirm women’s autonomy and right to choose”, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said.
The summit, in Edinburgh, aimed to ensure that women in Scotland can access services without fear, harassment or intimidation and considered legislative mechanisms to establish buffer zones around clinics.
It also sought to identify immediate, short term actions to protect women from harassment or intimidation outside hospitals and sexual health clinics, following protests by anti-abortion campaigners outside such facilities in recent weeks.
Ms Sturgeon said the summit came at a particularly important time given the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the landmark Roe v Wade ruling, thereby ending the constitutional right to an abortion, which she described as “one of the darkest days for women’s rights in my lifetime.”
The summit brought together representatives from local government, third sector organisations, Police Scotland, the NHS and campaigners, and included cross-party representation.
Ms Sturgeon said: “This summit is an important opportunity to reaffirm women’s autonomy and right to choose.
“It comes at a particularly important time given the overturning of Roe v Wade in the United States.
“The summit will consider in general terms what needs to be done to improve access to abortion services, including second trimester abortions, in Scotland.
“However, its main and most immediate focus will be on mechanisms to establish effective buffer zones. It starts from the clear view that women must be able to access healthcare, including abortion services, free of harassment or intimidation.”
Ms Sturgeon said that the proper focus for anyone protesting against abortion should be Parliament and lawmakers – not hospitals or sexual health clinics.
She said: “Gatherings of this kind create additional stress for anyone using these facilities, for any purpose, and for those who work in them. But for women accessing abortion services the upset, distress and fear that they cause can be profound.
“At what is already a very stressful time, women are being forced to see or make their way past these groups on the way in. And once they’re inside, on top of everything else, there’s the knowledge that they may have to see them again on the way out.
“In my view, the current situation is unacceptable, and it’s one we must address as a matter of urgency. I am determined that we do so.
“There are issues that we need to solve to establish buffer zones through legislation but if we work together in a spirit of solidarity, I am confident we can find a way.”
Scottish Green MSP Gillian Mackay last month launched a consultation on her proposed Member’s Bill, which would see 150m buffer zones around healthcare facilities which provide abortion services.
The Scottish Government said it is committed to working constructively with Ms Mackay on her Bill.
Ms Mackay said: “My Bill will provide peace of mind to all those accessing abortion services, by introducing protest-free buffer zones around clinics. There is no place for the type of intimidation and harassment we are regularly seeing outside these healthcare facilities at the moment.
“Both healthcare staff, and those accessing services, have relayed horrifying stories of the impact this harassment can have.
“While the parliamentary process can seem frustratingly slow, it is right that there is time for thorough consultation and scrutiny before any proposal becomes law.
“In the meantime, I believe there are a number of options that could be taken forward as interim solutions, particularly in the most egregious examples of this intimidatory behaviour.
“I am grateful to the first minister for convening today’s summit and hope we can explore some of these options to improve access to services as well as discussing the practicalities of my Bill proposal.”
Women’s Health Minister Maree Todd said legislation to introduce buffer zones is “necessary”, but said any new laws do not restrict human rights.
Speaking to the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme yesterday Ms Todd said short and medium-term solutions for moving protesters on from healthcare sites would be discussed with Police Scotland at the summit.
“We are very careful in Scotland when we legislate to restrict people’s human rights,” Ms Todd said.
“Human rights are precious, and in Scotland they’re built into the devolution settlement, so we’re not able to make law in a way that restricts people’s human rights, so we have to be careful that we balance everyone’s human rights and that we act in a necessary and proportionate way.”
Ms Todd said she “profoundly” disagrees with fellow SNP MSP John Mason, who praised the US Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v Wade.
Mr Mason has previously attended an anti-abortion vigil and said abortion is “seldom essential or vital”.
“There is no place for the intimidation we are seeing outside these health care facilities at the moment