Abortion campaigners were due to mount a protest outside the Tynwald building tomorrow morning (Tuesday).
The Campaign for Abortion Law Modernisation (CALM) says it wants to raise awareness of the injustices in the current law, and show that people in the Isle of Man are ‘not prepared to tolerate this inequality and discrimination any longer’.
CALM, which was set up earlier this year, says it is outrageous that the 1995 Termination of Pregnancy (Medical Defences) Act leaves woman with only three options – break the law, finance a termination at a clinic in another country at her own expense - a ‘choice’ that could cost over £2,000 – or continue with an unwanted pregnancy.
Spokeswoman Samantha Morris said: ‘We want to change the law so that women in the Isle of Man have a genuine choice.
‘The current legislation means that women who have money can arrange their own abortion, either by going across for a termination, or by breaking the law and buying safe but illegal abortion pills off the internet.
‘But if you can’t afford this, then there is no choice at all. This is outrageous in the 21st century, and particularly in an island which is finally introducing an Equality Act which is, in some instance, even more forward-thinking than in other jurisdictions.’
CALM is inviting everyone to show their support by joining the demonstration at the Finch Road entrance to Tynwald from 9.30am today (Tuesday).
Currently, terminations are only allowed up to 24 weeks where it is necessary to preserve the woman’s life, the foetus is unlikely to survive or is seriously handicapped or within 12 weeks of conception if the pregnancy is caused by rape, incest or indecent assault.
Only a single figure number of terminations are carried out in the island each year under the 1995 Act. Women may find they have little choice but to pay up to £2,000 to have an abortion at a clinic in the UK.
The UK’s 1967 Abortion Act allows a pregnancy of up to 24 weeks to be terminated free of charge on the NHS if two medical practitioners agree there is a risk to the physical or mental health of the woman, or a substantial risk the child would be seriously handicapped.
But the island’s legislation requires that should a woman seek a termination on the grounds of the effect on her mental health, one of the two medical practitioners must be a psychiatric consultant – for which it is understood there is a waiting list of some weeks
Provisions relating to termination due to rape, incest or sexual assault require the woman to produce an affidavit or other evidence taken under oath and for her to have made a complaint to the police.