The “lack of access to abortion” complaint manifests itself again (and again and again), this time, in American jails.
Incarcerated women wishing to terminate a pregnancy face numerous challenges; among them are facilities’ ad hoc responses to abortion requests, difficulties in making transportation or financial arrangements, and the requirement of obtaining a court order.
These intrepid policy types are clearly leaving no stone unturned.
Question: If I go for a long canoe trip in an isolated provincial park, perhaps Killarney or Temagami, what’s my access? Stay tuned for the soon-to-be-released “Abortion access on remote-area canoe trips: Females face delays, forced to return to civilization for abortions, while men just get to paddle on.”
_______________________
Tanya has a few more “access” concerns: What about if I fall down a well or get stuck in a mine shaft? And will this ‘service’ be available during my 3 week Carnival cruise?
To be honest, I’m sort of comforted by the idea that getting an abortion while incarcerated is not the easiest thing in the world. For those women who suddenly find themselves in that unfortunate situation (of being imprisoned while pregnant) abortion may seem to some like the only reasonable thing to do. How much more so if the access is facilitated.
_______________________
Brigitte evidently just fell off a turnip truck: Am I the only one who had no idea unintended pregnancies in jail were a big problem?
by 
Unfortunately, it’s not THAT difficult for women in prison to obtain abortions. I have twice in the past 18 months seen women brought to the abortion clinic in Edmonton, complete with prison van and guards. On one of these occasions, I saw the woman coming out of the clinic, handcuffed and escorted by persons, I assume guards, and loaded into the van.
As with all abortions in Alberta, it would have been tax-funded. My questions are, did the woman ask for the abortion or was she pressured by corrections’ officials? Did she arrive in jail pregnant or get pregnant while she was there? Did she get pre- and post-abortion counselling? Will we ever know?
Are they pregnant whan they go INTO jail, or is birth control a problem for conjugal visits? Just wondering.
This is a great site- I just found you today and I’ve been reading some posts. Keep it up! 🙂
Speaking of jail, in an earlier post I think I read that someone(I forget who…was it Andrea?) on your team mentioned how women who have abortions should not be sent to jail.
Should a woman who smothers her one-day-old baby go to jail? If, as you seem to believe, there is no intrinsic difference in value between a one-day-old baby and a preborn (I personally believe that they are of equal value, just at different stages), what do you think would be the appropriate punishment for a woman who aborts (if, let’s say, the preborn were once again protected protected in the eyes of the law…ie. if abortion were once more illegal in Canada (I was born in 1967…in the eyes of the law at that time, I was “safe” and my mother would have been punished in some way if she tried to/did abort me…whew!!!). Would a simple fine for this murder suffice? 🙂
Just a thought/question. I’m sure you’ve heard this kind of argument before.