How does intimate partner violence influence abortion?

Almost one in three women aged 16-59 will experience domestic abuse in her lifetime, Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is recognised by national and international bodies as one of the most pervasive and pernicious forms of violence against women; it transcends the boundaries of age, ethnicity, religion and socio-economic group.

The coronavirus outbreak has led to a sharp rise in Intimate Partner Violence worldwide, a pandemic within a pandemic, with domestic abuse itself acting as a devious infection, flourishing in the fertile conditions created by the Covid19. You might ask what this has to do with abortion? The answer is rather a lot actually, women with a history of IPV have significantly higher odds of unintended pregnancy. In recent years, attention has focused also on intimate partner violence during pregnancy due to its prevalence. Last year as the pandemic raged stay-at-home orders and social distancing have made it harder for people experiencing IPV to obtain support and resources, even without a global pandemic to contend with women suffering IPV have to navigate a host of negative sexual and reproductive health consequences, including unintended and unwanted pregnancy, abortion and unsafe abortion.

Abortion is time-sensitive and cannot be significantly deferred without profound consequences for women and their families. but how are people supposed to be able to access abortion services if they can’t leave their home? Often victims of domestic abuse struggle to access abortion services in person, unable to escape from their abuser or being subjected to having their travel and communications monitored for example.

The silver lining of the pandemic comes in the form of the temporary relaxation of abortion laws, which allowed people seeking an early medical abortion (up to 10 weeks) to have the required consultation remotely (rather than in-person at a clinic) and then receive the 2 medications via post. As a direct result of being able to access these remote abortion services, people from Great Britain are no longer sourcing abortion pills online, international providers confirm.

Remote access to early abortion medicine is a lifeline for women – it must continue post-Covid; being able to have teleconsultations and to take the pills at home is even more important for those in domestic abuse situations. Previously those in tough situations turn to online sources, but our antiquated legislation meant they might be just one click away from criminality.

It is a sad reality that in our society, those who are struggling, are vulnerable, or most at risk are more likely to fall through the cracks at times of need. They may not have the information, finances, or support that others receive or have access to. But what does this mean for abortion services in the UK?

whilst Abortion Rights welcomed U.K. government changes to the abortion regulations on abortion pills during the coronavirus outbreak they don’t go far enough, the pandemic has highlighted the failures of our antiquated abortion laws; abortion remains illegal in the UK, if a person attempts to ‘procure an abortion’ outside of the strict requirements laid out in the Abortion Act 1967, they can be jailed for life in England or Wales under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, a law created over 150 years ago, Its application punishes those most in need in society, such as domestic violence victims who are forced to buy abortion medication online to illegally end their pregnancy because they cannot get to a clinic. For those wanting or needing abortion services, the ability to do so legally can be restricted by the abusive environment they live in. One provider of online pills estimates that 33% of requests from Great Britain cite domestic abuse as a reason they cannot access legal abortion care.

We simply can don’t go backward, research and evidence show that women can safely and effectively manage their own abortions with pills — mifepristone-misoprostol or misoprostol alone — when they have accurate information about the dosing regimen and when to seek treatment for the unlikely event of complications.

Essentially Covid-19 has enabled those most vulnerable in society to receive the care and access to abortion services they need. However, if the telemedicine abortion provision is removed once the threat of coronavirus has passed, and unless the Government acknowledges the systemic problems with our current abortion laws, we will failing the most vulnerable in society, victims of domestic violence will once again be forced to continue pregnancies against their will or buying pills off the internet or worse.

The Government cannot return to criminalise people whilst simultaneously preventing them from being able to access the services they need. Instead of restricting access to abortion, we should be expanding access to telemedicine abortion. We must seek out and help those most in need, and search for a way forward to prevent social issues from affecting a person’s right to legal, safe abortion. It’s time to lift barriers to reproductive health care — including abortion.