Abortion anger festers as “Baby Killers Club” taunt remains online

The public figures named in the “Baby Killers Club” by an abortion academic have shared concerns about the impact of the posts, which the creator has refused to remove.

Pro-life activist Professor Joanna Howe has doubled down on her controversial “Baby Killers Club” campaign, ignoring requests to delete social media posts labelling opponents with the term and instead promising to expand it.

The University of Adelaide law professor said critics now accusing her of inciting hate were silent when pro-abortion activists paraded in front of Parliament House with banners calling on the public to “abort Ben Hood”.

Mr Hood is the Liberal MLC who proposed the bill — assisted by Prof Howe — to reform abortion laws, which was eventually defeated by 10 votes to nine.

Prof Howe said Mr Hood reported alleged death threats from pro-abortion activists to police during the campaign.

Abort Ben Hood protest signs. Picture: Joanna Howe

Prominent pro-life advocate Professor Joanna Howe. Picture Matt Turner.

“Members of The Baby Killers Club claim it incites ‘hatred’ — I would say that’s preferable to deliberately inciting violence towards Ben Hood or voting against a bill that not just incites but justifies the killing of babies in the third trimester through a brutal injection of potassium chloride into the baby’s heart,” she said.

“The bill did not mandate forced birth, as members of The Baby Killers Club suggested, as the mother has to go through delivery and the baby has to be born either under the present arrangements for late term abortion or under the bill.

“The only change proposed by the bill was to ban foeticide, a lethal injection of a baby older than 28 weeks with potassium chloride, and to allow termination of pregnancy up until birth through live delivery.

Associate Professor Barbara Baird and Human Services Minister Nat Cook.

Professor Katina D’Onise

“The name ‘The Baby Killers Club’ highlights the public figures and MPs who were the most vocal opponents of the bill and proponents of injecting third trimester babies with potassium chloride and delivering them stillborn.”

People named in the social media post — so far all women — who have responded to The Advertiser deplore the campaign.

Flinders University Associate Professor Barbara Baird hoped Prof Howe would reflect and choose to take the post down — but instead Prof Howe named Prof Baird as “speaking at a rally where radical activists were holding signs calling for the murder of Ben Hood.”

Prof Baird said the campaign was “very disturbing.”

“The potentially defamatory aspect of it is of less concern to me than its incitement of hatred,” she said.

“I am now concerned for my own safety given how social media can incite people.”

Public health physician Professor Katina D’Onise said: “The focus should be on the policy, the evidence that underlines it and community sentiment. It should not be on the proponents on either side of the debate.”

Liberal MLC Michelle Lensink said: “Stooping to uncivilised behaviour will not change anyone’s opinion.”

Originally published as Abortion anger festers as “Baby Killers Club” taunt remains online