When Pro-Choice Means No Choice

During the 40 Days for Life Campaigns, those who describe themselves as pro-choice frequently complain that we attend the abortuaries to harass and distress women. Because they believe in the abortion "system" they believe that marie stopes and BPAS are "unbiased" and exist to help women making difficult choices. They believe that if women are seeking alternatives to abortion that they will help them find one.
One of the reasons we stand outside the abortuaries is because we do not believe that. Over the last 16 years we have housed, financially supported and befirended hundreds of women that the abortuaries could not help. Over the next few weeks we will be telling their stories in the When Pro-Choice Means No Choice blogs. Here is the first:

Aneta, a Romanian turnaround. Working in the UK as an aupair. When she found herself pregnant despite contraception and abandoned by her boyfriend, her employer refused to help her prove she had worked here long enough to claim benefits. He also threw her out. Without documentary proof of her employment, Aneta went for an abortion to marie stopes and told them that if there was no help for her she would have to have an abortion.
We met her at marie stopes.
Marie stopes offered : abortion
'Pro-choicers' offered : to defend her right to abortion
Pro-life offered: free accomodation, financial support, free legal advice, got her a job, supported her until she qualified for other help, was working and got into stable housing.
Outcome: Aneta was very happy to have her baby and is now helping other mums to find housing and work. She now considers herself pro-life.
Clare McCullough
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