Proposed abortion law reform would 'remove stigma'
BBCWomen in Jersey will no longer need to justify their reasons for seeking an abortion if a proposed new law is approved.
The minister for health and social services wants to introduce legislation that would allow abortions before 22 weeks and remove current barriers.
The current law in Jersey requires two doctors to agree a woman is in distress before she can have a termination up to 12 weeks. Deputy Andy Howell, assistant health minister, said the proposed changes would help to "take away stigma".
The charity Christian Action Research and Education has argued grounds for termination on the island "should be limited".
What would change?
The current law does not allow abortions beyond 12 weeks unless there is a severe foetal anomaly, which would lead to the child having physical or mental abnormalities. The limit for this scenario is up to 24 weeks, which would be scrapped in the new law.
If a termination is necessary to save the life of a woman or prevent "grave permanent injury to her or physical or mental health", that can happen at any stage of pregnancy.
The proposed law would also allow women of any age to refer themselves for a termination.
Howell said the earlier a woman had an abortion, the safer it was, so she saw removing barriers as an important step.
"We would ask any woman who finds herself making this awful decision to go and seek help early," she said.
"I think it takes the stigma away from women and it gives them greater choice."
The proposed law would mean a pregnant woman could not commit an offence by having an abortion, however, if a doctor knowingly performed an unlawful termination, they could be prosecuted.
It would also set out tougher punishments - up to life imprisonment - for anyone who causes termination through physical abuse or poisoning.
While the draft law would extend the circumstances in which termination would be legal in Jersey, it would not necessarily mean an abortion after 12 weeks would be able to be carried out on the island.
This is because medical practitioners may exercise their right to refuse to provide terminations at any stage of pregnancy.
During a previous consultation on changes to Jersey's abortion laws, the charity Christian Action Research and Education said "every human life is valuable and should be protected".
It added "grounds for abortion should be limited", and that abortion on the grounds of a foetal abnormality should only be allowed in situations where the life limiting condition is deemed fatal.
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