Dear John,
The government will soon decriminalise abortion in Northern Ireland, but in Great Britain a woman who ends her own pregnancy without permission can still be imprisoned for life.
A recent YouGov poll found that the overwhelming majority of British adults do not support the current criminal law, which threatens any woman in England, Wales or Scotland with life imprisonment if she intentionally ends her own pregnancy without the authorisation of two doctors. This is one of the harshest abortion laws in the world.
The poll also found that just 14% of adults were aware of the current law, so today we have released a new film to raise awareness. Take a look!
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We've released a new video to raise awareness of the law
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Dont' forget our special offer to become a friend of bpas. Join us before the end of July and you'll receive two free gifts - while stocks last! See below for more details.
We hope you enjoy the film. We will keep you updated on the next phase of our campaign for an abortion law fit for the 21st century - in every country of the UK.
Thanks for all your support.
Best wishes,
The bpas team
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⭐️Special offer!⭐️
Become a friend of bpas before the end of July to receive two free gifts - a ‘Now for NI’ tote bag and a 'We Trust Women’ pin badge.
We have a limited number of "now for NI" tote bags remaining, so make sure you get yours now! We won't be ordering any more once they run out!
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Here are some of the things you'll be supporting:
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 We Trust Women
Under a law from 1861 any woman, anywhere in the UK, 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, including one based on the forthcoming Domestic Abuse Bill.
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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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 Decriminalisation further afield
We’ve been working with pro-choice campaigners and the governments of the Isle of Man and Gibraltar to change their laws outlawing abortion and help them provide care for their citizens.
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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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