In a call to action, the Christian advocacy group CARE is imploring individuals to reach out to House of Lords members and engage in prayer as part of an effort to halt legislation deemed “dangerous” due to its potential to permit abortion up to birth.
Currently, the House of Lords is set to discuss the Crime and Policing Bill. This bill attracted considerable attention after a significant amendment was approved by MPs last year, which effectively eliminates criminal penalties related to abortion.
Questions have been raised about the appropriateness of addressing abortion limits within a bill initially focused on enhancing street safety and countering terrorism in the UK.
There’s a concern that the bill, by removing criminal sanctions, might encourage women to conduct abortions beyond the current 24-week limit, potentially reverting to the era of unsafe “back street abortions,” a scenario critics warn against.
The “pills by post” initiative, launched during the Covid pandemic, is highlighted as an example of the pitfalls of minimal medical oversight in abortions. This scheme allows women to receive abortion pills remotely, bypassing the need for an in-person medical consultation.
One incident involved a woman who used the pills at a late pregnancy stage, endangering herself and resulting in the death of the unborn child, thus contravening the law. Another case saw a man imprisoned after secretly administering abortion pills to his pregnant partner’s drink, causing her miscarriage and subsequent infertility.
CARE emphasized that no thorough impact assessment has been conducted on the amendment, and that MPs spent only 46 minutes debating this contentious change.
The advocacy group is backing another amendment aimed at reinstating the requirement for an in-person medical consultation before obtaining abortion pills. This measure seeks to detect instances where women may be coerced or visibly distressed.
Caroline Ansell, the director of advocacy and policy at CARE, urged supporters to communicate with the House of Lords members to voice opposition to these measures. She stated, “And let us continue to pray that God would have mercy on our nation, as we strive to create a society where the voiceless are advocated for and the powerless are protected,” she added.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
