Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón. / GORKA LEJARCEGI
What will happen to women in Spain when the Ley Gallardón comes into force? There has been much speculation in the press as to what the effects of the new law may be, and a look at statistics from across Europe paint a distressing picture.
We’ll start in the UK, where government statistics show that the vast majority of those coming from abroad to undergo abortions come from Ireland, where abortion laws are amongst the strictest in the world. Just a glance at a graph shows the influx.
Strict laws do not remove the problem they simply move it overseas, often with tragic consequences.
The Republic of Ireland has similar laws to those suggested under new legislation in Spain, and abortion is permitted only in cases where the mother’s life is at risk. Spain’s proposed law change may be slightly more liberal, permitting terminations in cases of rape, but such cases are relatively rare.
According to government statistics, in 2012 a full 91.26% of abortions were carried out at the request of the mother and not ostensibly for health reasons or fetal abnormalities. Only 5.67% of operations were carried out because of a threat to a woman’s life. It is unclear how many were because of rape.
As data in the above graph show, many women travel abroad when they are unable to get the treatment they need at home. This was the case in Spain before law changed in 2010.
These data highlight the issue at the centre of the debate: choice. A move away from more liberal rulings would put Spain in a bracket with countries not famed for their human rights records, such as Djibouti and other less than liberal third-world nations.
As the map below shows, Spain would be in a conservative minority, on rough legal parity with Poland. Only a tiny minority, including Ireland and Cyprus, will have stricter laws. Ireland stands as a poignant reminder of the possible effects of restrictive legislation. A woman died in 2012 after being refused an abortion. Although abortion is permitted in the Irish Republic if a woman’s life is in danger, the stringent nature of the rules mean that there is more scope for mistakes.
Countries shaded in darker colours have more restrictive laws. Note that Spain’s colour is representative of the situation under the Ley Gallardón.
It is worth noting that this map is a rough guide; although some countries may have more laws in place, eg. the UK having stricter rules than France, this may not affect the ease of getting an operation in practice. An interactive map showing abortion laws across the world can be viewed here.
There is much speculation about whether a trip across the border is likely to be the solution for Spanish women who cannot receive treatment at home. However abortions are incredibly costly.
For a Spanish woman wanting to travel to the UK the prices make sobering reading. A consultation, whether over the phone or in person, is £82. A non-surgical abortion, by way of a pill, costs £464. Surgical abortions range from £562 to £1958 depending on the length of the pregnancy at the time of the operation. A woman must pay an extra £42 if she wants to be seen at the weekend.
For many vulnerable Spanish women earning average wages the costs are simply too high. The mean salary in Spain is around €1,639 a month, and some procedures exceed this figure. This does not factor in the emotional costs of having to travel abroad, perhaps alone, perhaps without understanding the nation’s language, to undergo a difficult operation.
What is more, those women who are most likely to need an abortion are those hardest hit by the crisis - 20-24 year olds. With unemployment so high in this age group, relying on family members for financial help may be crucial. Many futures will be at the mercy of others who may not be sympathetic.
Choice, then, is what this is all about. Giving women control over their bodies is one of the greatest liberal triumphs of the 20th century, and Zapatero’s 2010 overturning of archaic rules was a triumph. The consequences of the PP’s reversion may be catastrophic.
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el abortismo tímido. sobre la suicida debilidad argumentativa del abortismo en España:
http://www.entretantomagazine.com/2013/05/26/el-abortismo-debil-debate-zanjado/
Publicado por: contra el amor | 20/02/2014 19:15:57