Sir, - In light of the findings of a recent opinion poll, the Rape Crisis Network calls on the Government to reconsider the option of making abortion available in Ireland in situations of rape or incest (Lansdowne Market Research, March 2001). Almost half of those polled (47 per cent) were in favour of abortion being allowed in Ireland in a case of rape or incest. This option appears to have been entirely overlooked in the recent abortion report, and all of the political parties are ignoring pregnancy in a rape or incest case. However, many of the ordinary people of Ireland obviously recognise the additional trauma of travelling to England for an abortion in an incest or rape case.
In rape crisis centres we know how real these situations are. An experience of rape is deeply traumatic for any woman or girl. Pregnancy after rape, especially in an incest case, is additionally traumatic, regardless of which option is chosen by the woman or girl. Where the woman or girl decides on an abortion, why should she face the additional trauma of travelling to another country?
For many survivors of rape this is a time of needing to be in familiarity, needing to feel safe and trying to rebuild normality. These needs are certainly not met by travelling to another country, trying to get the money to go, and possibly travelling alone. Rape crisis centres are aware of the additional anxieties caused by trying to organise going to England, including trying to get the money, during a time of crisis.
Obviously many Irish people now recognise the kinds of additional distress that travelling to England for an abortion can cause for a rape or incest victims. They have seen some of the very real situations covered in the media, so we are no longer pretending that pregnancy in rape and incest situations doesn't happen. None of the political parties appears to have considered this option, and we call on them to re-open this discussion. - Yours, etc.,
Fiona Neary, National Coordinator, Rape Crisis Network, Kirwin House, Flood Street, Galway.