WONAAC

MEDIA RELEASE

Women’s National Abortion Action Campaign

June 10, 2008

Pro-Choice Group Condemns Harassment of Women and Doctors

The Women’s National Abortion Action Campaign today condemned the on-going judicial harassment of women and doctors by anti-abortion groups, and called on the government to support the Abortion Supervisory Committee in its commitment to staying out of doctors’ consulting rooms.

Today’s judgment by Justice Miller is just the latest round in the anti-choice movement’s attempts to deny New Zealand women the right to control their lives, WONAAC said.

In this case, Right to Life effectively wants a statutory government committee to second-guess a private medical decision.

“Already women have to see at least 2 to 3 doctors before they can get an abortion,” said a WONAAC spokeswoman Alison McCulloch. “By focusing on the legality issue, the anti-choice groups are trying to scare doctors into denying women the right to decide when they have children.”

“The best way of clarifying the legal situation surrounding abortion would be to repeal the current abortion laws. Failing that, the government must make clear it will not countenance restrictions on women’s rights and witch hunts against doctors,” she said.

“If Right to Life is so concerned at New Zealand’s abortion rate, why isn’t it campaigning for free, easily accessible contraception?”

ENDS

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