Push for abortion reform to better support DV and rape victims

Abortion law reform in South Australia is a critical priority in order to protect the state’s most vulnerable women, a coalition of domestic, family and sexual violence experts say.

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Frontline workers at Adelaide’s largest abortion clinic and a coalition of 29 domestic, family and sexual violence support groups say any changes to SA’s abortion laws must consider the plight of vulnerable women.

A Bill to decriminalise abortion in SA is currently before parliament and the South Australian Law reform Institute has been charged with advising the government on how to move forward.

Staff from the Pregnancy Advisory Centre (PAC) have told the Sunday Mail the state’s current laws discriminate most against victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, and those waiting on foetal abnormality test results later in pregnancy.

PAC senior social worker Bree van der Kolk said reproductive coercion was a tactic of domestic violence. She said perpetrators were forcing their partners to continue with their pregnancy, often by limiting the woman’s access to abortion services until it’s too late.

Under current laws, the PAC in Woodville cannot perform an abortion after 23 weeks and six days – the scientific limit of foetal viability.

PAC associate nurse unit manager Nola Savage said gestational abortion limits also disadvantaged women pushed past the 23 weeks and six day mark while waiting for further morphology testing for foetal abnormality.

She said women and their partners often felt forced into making a decision because of the looming deadline. More time for a more informed process, could mean the continuation of a pregnancy rather than termination, she said.

The Coalition of Women’s Domestic Violence Services SA, which represents 29 groups, said all women should have access to abortion at any stage of their pregnancy or the very least at until 28 weeks.

In its submission to SALRI, the Coalition said unwanted pregnancies resulting from domestic, family and sexual violence often presented late by no fault of the victims of violence.

“If you’re in an abusive relationship, it’s incredibly difficult – if not impossible – to safely negotiate around issues like contraception or sex,” the Coalition’s deputy chair Belinda Halliday said.

The abortion decriminalisation Bill does not set gestational limits which will be informed by SARLI’s report. However those lobbying for reform, including the SA Abortion Action Coalition, say late term abortions (post-20 weeks) would be guided by existing health regulations and legislation, and by a woman’s expert health care team.

This week, the NSW Parliament is set to debate abortion law reform including measures to allow termination after 22 weeks with the approval of two doctors. If the NSW Bill is passed South Australia will be the only state abortion is part of the criminal code.

SALRI has received more than 3000 submissions for its report due in late October.

SA Greens MLC Tammy Franks proposed the Bill in December last year.

ABORTION IN SA - THE FACTS

■ There were 4,346 abortions in SA in 2016

■ About 3900 or 90% of abortions occur under 14 weeks gestation

■ About 300 or 7% occur from 14 weeks to just under 20 weeks

■ About 120 or 2.8% occur at 20 weeks or more.

Of those abortion performed at or after 20 weeks:

■ 58 were for the mental health of the woman,

■ 52 were for congenital abnormalities,

■ and 10 were to preserve the life of the woman.

■ SA Health was unable to provide a gestational breakdown of abortions after 20 weeks due to small numbers and patient privacy.

SOURCE: Latest Pregnancy Outcome in SA report, Sept 2018

Originally published as Push for abortion reform to better support DV and rape victims