What about the majority of women who do not “Shout out their abortion?
We have known since 2004 that 64% of US women who underwent induced abortion reported being pressured and attributed traumatic symptoms, for example substance abuse, sexual disorders, and suicidal thoughts directly to their abortions. Peer reviewed studies have linked induced abortion to increased risk of anxiety, depression, suicidal behaviour, sleep disorders and higher rates of heart disease and a 2023 study revealed that almost 70% of abortions are coerced, unwanted or inconsistent with US women’s preferences. These women attributed more negative emotions and mental health outcomes to their abortions, with 60% stating that they would have preferred to give birth if they had more support from others or had more financial security. A 2024 Canadian Study has shown similar results with the exception that Canadian male partners appear to pressure women more aggressively to abort their child than their American counterparts. Now it seems, there is a long-lasting silent grief which requires counselling and support. These studies prove that only one third of women undergoing abortion exercised so called, “choice” if indeed they did? However, the overwhelming majority of women underwent abortion under duress, pressured and/or coerced and did so against their own values and because of circumstances for which they did not receive help or did not know where to access that help.
According to the Canadian study, in 40% of women who experienced delayed negative reactions, 15% were still experiencing these reactions 20 years later. If for example we take Canada’s abortion figures from 2002- 2022 that translates to 325,386 women who may still be suffering from an abortion 20 yrs, 15yrs, 10yrs, 5yrs ago or yesterday!!!!!!!!
The evidence is mounting that women do not choose induced abortion but undergo it with moderate to high levels of pressure or coercion from partners, family, friends or circumstance. Ignorance of pregnancy help with other concerns they have also led to there being no other option other than abortion for them. As a country we need to do better and begin considering alleviating the pressure and coercion suffered by a vast majority of women undergoing abortion. It is not abortion choice but unwanted abortion. Communities, services and governments need to rethink their attitudes as to what unexpectedly pregnant women need – because abortion no longer fits as an answer – if, in fact it ever did. Please see the article by Adam Fadel for yet more information to break your heart, boy do we need to change our attitude!!!
“Because of its politicized nature, the public is told one of two stories: Abortion is right or wrong. But like most of the women in the Support After Abortion study, Sarah wasn’t a pro-life advocate or a religious person; she was a woman who made a choice, and that choice had been generating years of sadness, grief and suffering that she had never shared.
She was also hesitant to approach me because like most women who want to seek healing after abortion, she preferred anonymity out of fear of rejection and judgment…”
“But traumas associated with abortion aren’t ended by the procedure. In fact, many of them begin there. A study conducted by Support After Abortion found that 34% of women suffer “adverse impacts” like anger, shame and regret from medication abortions. Most of these women said they had nobody to talk to afterwards, and had no idea where to go to understand and address their complicated grief….”
Links:
https://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/ab-canada.html
