It’s official: No woman in England or Wales can be prosecuted for an abortion any more
https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/reports/a71163004/england-wales-decriminalise-abortion/
Posted by coffeewalnut08
It’s official: No woman in England or Wales can be prosecuted for an abortion any more
https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/reports/a71163004/england-wales-decriminalise-abortion/
Posted by coffeewalnut08
5 Comments
*After years of campaigning, England and Wales have officially decriminalised abortion for women in a “landmark moment” as part of proposed changes to the Crime and Policing Bill.*
*The government has now formally done away with the ancient Offences Against the Person Act from 1861 and the Infant Life (Preservation) Act of 1929, both of which saw women and girls open to arrest, investigation or prosecution in relation to procuring an abortion for themselves. Recent years have seen a worrying increase in criminal cases, after minimal incidences for decades, as more anti-abortion groups receive funding in the UK.*
*Women and girls who have been previously convicted or jailed in relation to an abortion outside of the legal framework will receive a pardon (although this won’t happen immediately; the government will be required to enact this in future and it is expected to take place over the next year).*
*The change sees English and Welsh law* [*more closely resemble legislation seen in Canada, Denmark, Sweden, France and New Zealand*](https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/03/27/misleading-headlines-claim-uk-legalised-abortion-until-birth)*…*
>Recent years have seen a worrying increase in criminal cases,
But weren’t they all kind of justified?
Like if someone aborts a healthy 8 month old baby for no medical reason, should we celebrate that’s no longer criminal?
Baby is able to live outside the womb at 23 weeks, but won’t be afforded the same rights if it happens to be on the wrong side of the womb. Society headed backwards.
I don’t think this is good news. This campaign felt like an import of American issues and was disingenous about the cases it held up as posterchilds.
Personally I think the position we had previously felt like it worked fine and struck the right balance. Now we have a weird situation where you can apparently abort up to 10 seconds before you give birth and be fine, but 10 sec after is murder, which feels very unsatisfactory.
I have literally no idea how anyone can support a policy that literally allows a spiteful and vengeful woman to end the life of a 39 week old foetus to get at the father.
Downvote all you like but that is precisely what this does.