Spain is continuing to move forward with the legislation to drastically limit access to abortions across the country. The current law under the previously socialist administration allows women to end pregnancy within the first 14 weeks and up to 22 weeks in cases where the mother’s life is at risk or the fetus shows serious deformities.
The new bill that is being pushed by the conservative Popular party only permits abortion in two cases: rape and risk of lasting harm to the health of the Mother. If the bill is passed, Spain will become the first member of the European Union to withdraw from a decades-long movement toward safe and legal abortion. It proves to be an example of the Spanish government’s patriarchal and hypocritical approach.
One of the exceptions to the law is when a certifiable risk to the health of the Mother exists, which must be verified by two different doctors from two different clinics. Consequently, this imposes a patriarchal control for a decision that must be made by the woman. The medical profession is predominately male and although there is an emergence of more female doctors in Spain, the gender gap will take years to be suitably addressed. Furthermore, the government will only cover the medical costs for one consultation, which places a financial burden on the woman to obtain the remaining two opinions.
The other exception to the law is similarly illogical. A rape that results in pregnancy is also accepted as a cause for termination but requires that women and girls report the crime to the police before they can access a legal abortion, which subjects them to further stress. The exemption of a pregnancy caused by rape makes the claim to the right of the life of the unborn morally suspicious. A potentially healthy child is excused from the rule; however, a child that may be born with severe disabilities is not a legitimate cause. This is particularly contradictory when the system in Spain does not sufficiently support parents with children who possess abnormalities.
Mariano Rajoy, the Spanish prime minister, has fully advocated the potential changes claiming they fulfilled an electoral promise. Likewise, the Catholic Church, which is historically associated to the People’s party, is in full support. However, this seems like irrational thinking from the leader of a country that provided 118,000 abortions in 2011, according to the National Health Ministry.
The restriction of the availability of abortions results in women seeking alternative options. Similar to women in Ireland who endured a similar ban, they may choose to travel to the United Kingdom for the required procedures. The experience of the Irish confirms the fact that making abortion illegal doesn’t prevent the need for abortion or the women’s determination to access safe procedures— it merely sends the issues overseas. Evidently, this does not come without considerable costs and not everyone can afford the financial and emotional costs of the journey. This results in desperate measures, compelling women to resort to an illegal abortion, which poses a massive threat to their health and well-being.
The passing of this bill will demonstrate a detrimental step backward in the way of women’s rights within Spain. It would be reminiscent of dictatorship rule, both with regard to civil rights as well as the right to health. It is imperative that politicians accept that abortion is an essential back-up to contraception and that it is a private decision that a woman should make according to what she thinks is best for her and her family. Doctors, not governments, should be the only ones to regulate any kind of medical procedure.