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Dear John,
“The protester was stood by the entrance with a banner. My daughter, who was undergoing the abortion, is autistic and this procedure is stressful and traumatic. When she realised they were outside it caused her to have a panic attack...”
Sarah*, Bournemouth, June 2021
Up and down the country, abortion clinics are targeted by anti-choice groups who intimidate and harass women and medical professionals accessing and providing lawful healthcare.
More than 100,000 women like Sarah’s daughter had to attend a clinic or hospital targeted by anti-choice groups in 2019. Encounters with these groups leave women feeling judged, intimidated, and distressed – and in the worst cases, too scared to get to their appointment.
Right now, the government are considering legislation that would create buffer zones around all abortion clinics in England and Wales. It would mean that activities aiming to threaten and intimidate women could not take place within 150 meters of abortion clinics.
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We need MPs to show their support for this amendment so that it is selected for a vote in the House of Commons this Monday 5th July.
Please take one minute to email your MP and ask that they listen to the voices of medical bodies, charities, and women like Sarah*, and support this important amendment to the Policing Bill.
Thank you for your support.
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Best wishes,
The BPAS team
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Support our work
Become a Friend of BPAS
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You can support our work defending and extending reproductive rights by becoming a Friend of BPAS, from as little as £2 per month.
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 We Trust Women
Under a law from 1861 any woman in Great Britain can go to prison for ending a pregnancy without the permission of two doctors. MPs support change, but we need the opportunity to make it happen. We are considering several legislative routes.
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 Preventing clinic protests
Anti-abortion activism targeted at clinics is on the rise in the UK. We are working to introduce buffer zones around abortion clinics to protect women and staff from intimidation and harassment. So far two buffer zones have been introduced, and more are in the pipeline.
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 Fighting the two-child benefits cap
The two-child benefits cap pushes families into poverty and impacts women's reproductive decisions. We are working with other UK charities to fight it. Read our briefing here.
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 Just Say Non!
Our campaign for accessible emergency contraception has seen prices slashed across major pharmacy chains. We're now working to make it available straight from the pharmacy shelf, without a mandatory consultation – as already happens in the USA, Canada, and many European countries.
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 Improving access to contraception
We're working with pharmacists nationwide to improve access to several methods of contraception, including the injection and the pill.
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 Working with women in prisons
Our contraceptive counselling & well woman advice service in Europe's largest women’s prison, HMP Bronzefield, was an RCNi Nurse Awards finalist. We provide confidential, non-judgemental counselling & education to aid women's wellbeing & rehabilitation.
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 Wrisk
Women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy are bombarded with public health messages, for example about what to eat, drink, how much they should weigh, and what medications they should or shouldn’t take. The WRISK project aims to understand and improve the communication of risk in pregnancy, to make things better for women.
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