Queensland -- beautiful one day, dark ages the next
Sunday, 10 October 2010 08:38 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
miriam_eHard to believe this is happening in Australia in the 21st Century.
On Tuesday a young Australian couple will face criminal charges and possible imprisonment for having an abortion in Queensland.
Teagan was just 19 years old when she was charged under archaic laws with attempting to have an abortion. This week she faces 7 years imprisonment, and her parter Sergie, 22, could spend 3 years in jail for assisting her.
That's because in Queensland, and in other states, abortion is still in the criminal code. Over 111 years old, these archaic laws classify abortion as a criminal 'offence against morality’ in the same league as bestiality and incest. They have lain dormant for over a century - until now.
In Queensland, as in other Australian states and territories, women and doctors can be tried under 19th century criminal codes and face years of imprisonment for choosing an abortion. These laws have already seen women seeking abortions after sexual assault turned away from public hospitals, and left doctors fearing imprisonment for providing advice and treatment.
Reproductive choice belongs in the health code, not the criminal code.
An overwhelming majority of Australians believe that a woman's reproductive choice should not be subject to criminal punishment. Yet despite the fact that 90% of Australians believe early-term abortions should be legal, an extreme minority has scared our piss-weak politicians into paralysis.
Some anti-choice activists have even thrown flaming molotov cocktails at Teagan and Sergie's house. We can't stand for this in Australia.
Tell religious extremists that they have no right to control women's lives. We don't need an Australian version of the Taliban here.
Sign the petition to show Premier Bligh what the majority really thinks.
http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/my_choice_is_no_crime
On Tuesday a young Australian couple will face criminal charges and possible imprisonment for having an abortion in Queensland.
Teagan was just 19 years old when she was charged under archaic laws with attempting to have an abortion. This week she faces 7 years imprisonment, and her parter Sergie, 22, could spend 3 years in jail for assisting her.
That's because in Queensland, and in other states, abortion is still in the criminal code. Over 111 years old, these archaic laws classify abortion as a criminal 'offence against morality’ in the same league as bestiality and incest. They have lain dormant for over a century - until now.
In Queensland, as in other Australian states and territories, women and doctors can be tried under 19th century criminal codes and face years of imprisonment for choosing an abortion. These laws have already seen women seeking abortions after sexual assault turned away from public hospitals, and left doctors fearing imprisonment for providing advice and treatment.
Reproductive choice belongs in the health code, not the criminal code.
An overwhelming majority of Australians believe that a woman's reproductive choice should not be subject to criminal punishment. Yet despite the fact that 90% of Australians believe early-term abortions should be legal, an extreme minority has scared our piss-weak politicians into paralysis.
Some anti-choice activists have even thrown flaming molotov cocktails at Teagan and Sergie's house. We can't stand for this in Australia.
Tell religious extremists that they have no right to control women's lives. We don't need an Australian version of the Taliban here.
Sign the petition to show Premier Bligh what the majority really thinks.
http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/my_choice_is_no_crime
no subject
Date: 2010-10-10 01:46 pm (UTC)Well, she was obviously having martital relations without the marriage. She deserved it.
Or, wait. molotov cocktails? Just.....
If I search "Teagan abortion" in Google your LJ is first hit. Recursive, or what?
Get up is fifth. How does that work?
I can't find huge amounts about this case, but New Matilda (http://newmatilda.com/2009/09/23/its-not-farce-its-law) suggests it's "self abortion", which I make a prima facie difference about.
I recall this case now, and it seems Teagan went around the regular routes to import some (potentially harmful) drugs to cause early termination.
Which strikes me as wrong.
It doesn't undo the point of what GetUp has to say on the issue, but it does make this case a little less clear cut than the summary suggests.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-10 10:59 pm (UTC)Damn it. We need a law reform for heavy taxes on religion. If they are going to cause trouble then they should at least be forced to pay for some of the clean-up.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-10 11:32 pm (UTC)I will hold my breath.