Women ‘harassed’ at abortion clinics despite MPs’ vote for buffer zones
Women are still being harassed outside abortion services a year after MPs voted to create buffer zones to prevent protesters gathering outside clinics and hospitals, medical and abortion groups said.
People using clinics have been left “anxious and distressed” as a result of protests despite a change in the law, the organisations said, as they called on the Home Secretary to act.
A year ago today MPs voted to support proposals to introduce buffer zones around abortion clinics and hospitals in England and Wales.
The House of Commons voted 297 to 110 in favour of an amendment to the Public Order Bill in a bid to offer greater protection to women by preventing protesters from gathering.
But the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (Bpas) said that safe access zones have still not been implemented.
It said 15 abortion clinics had experienced protests outside in the five months since the Public Order Act became law in May.
This included 30 people marching to a clinic and lining the pavements outside for hours; a man protesting in the waiting room of one clinic and refusing to leave; protesters holding up a 20ft banner outside a clinic; and a man who regularly kneels directly outside the entrance of a clinic with his hands in the air, attempting to stop women from entering, Bpas said.
Bpas said that although safe access zones were passed into law on May 2 2023, the Home Secretary has not yet commenced this section of the Act.
The service, along with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare and MSI Reproductive Choices, called on Suella Braverman to bring safe access zones into force.
The law makes it an offence to interfere, intimidate or harass women accessing, or people providing, abortion services.
Those convicted could face up to six months in jail for a first offence or two years for further offences.
A buffer zone would apply to an area which is within 150 metres from any part of an abortion clinic or access point to any building or site that contains an abortion clinic.
“Women were in need of protection this time last year, and they are in even more desperate need now. The only way to protect them is to bring safe access zones into force as soon as possible,” said Bpas chief of staff Rachael Clarke.
Dr Ranee Thakar, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, added: “Women have the right to access essential healthcare without fear of intimidation or harassment.
“Safe access zones must be brought into force now, to stop anti-choice organisations imposing stigma, guilt and shame on those accessing and providing abortion care services. This would not be tolerated for any other area of healthcare.”
Dr Tracey Masters, from the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, said: “The only way to ensure patients are able to access healthcare free of harassment and intimidation is the legal implementation of buffer zones around abortion clinics across the UK. We call on the Home Office to bring safe access zones into force immediately.”
Louise McCudden, head of external affairs at MSI Reproductive Choices UK, added: “Safe access zones protect women and frontline healthcare workers from harassment, which has in the past included spitting, calling women murderers, and threatening to take photographs.
“We urge the Home Office to get on with implementing this legislation so women can access abortion care confidentially and with dignity.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “It is completely unacceptable that anyone should feel harassed or intimidated.
“The police and local authorities have powers to restrict harmful protests and we expect them to take action in such cases.
“The Government will confirm timelines for the commencement of Safe Access Zones in due course.”
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