In a major campaign victory, women will no longer face police investigations for ending their own pregnancies at that time, and women who have been convicted or investigated under abortion law will be pardoned. Humanists UK welcomes this as a milestone development for reproductive rights and applauds our Parliament for championing and upholding dignity and autonomy.
Humanists UK Director of Human Rights and Advocacy, Karen Wright, commented:
‘This is a landmark victory for bodily autonomy and compassion, finally bringing our reproductive laws into the 21st century. This ends the horror of women facing police investigations and sends women in this country a clear message: abortion is healthcare, not a crime.
We want to thank all the campaigners, women who have shared their stories and politicians who have supported choice and resisted attempts to restrict reproductive rights.’
What happened?
The Crime and Policing Bill has passed all stages, received royal assent and has now become law.
Part of this new law takes abortion out of the criminal code in relation to women ending their own pregnancies. It does not change the wider abortion law or existing time limits, and it does not affect when abortions are available to women. It stops women from being investigated and prosecuted for ending their own pregnancies, and ensures that women who end their own pregnancies will no longer face the threat of life imprisonment under the Victorian-era Offences Against the Person Act 1861.
In addition, the House of Lords adopted an amendment from Baroness Thornton, a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group (APPHG), which pardons women who currently have police records or have been subjected to investigations and prosecutions for ending their own pregnancies.
Why does this matter?
Since 2020, around 100 women have faced police investigations, six have faced court, and one has been sent to prison on suspicion of illegal abortion offences. This high failure rate reflects the fact that many of these investigations have turned out to be cases where women have complied with the law. Some investigations have been conducted into women who have had miscarriages. This has been highly distressing for the women involved. Last year, the National Police Chiefs’ Council issued guidance instructing officers to examine women’s digital devices, including period tracking apps, when investigating pregnancy loss.
Freedom of choice under attack
A number of anti-abortion amendments were rejected by the House of Lords. Significantly, peers voted to protect the permanent provision of telemedicine for early medical abortions, which has been shown to be safe, effective, and to improve access to care.
Many of the politicians and several anti-choice groups who campaigned against abortion also campaigned against assisted dying.
The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children have been campaigning hard against abortion and assisted dying, and has received £73,000 donated anonymously. Similarly, Alliance Defending Freedom has campaigned against abortion clinic safe access zones, including backing high-profile litigation around enforcement. openDemocracy reported that the UK arm is funded overwhelmingly by the US parent: the UK branch has received more than £2m from Alliance Defending Freedom in the US since 2017.
Right To Life UK campaigns against both assisted dying and abortion primarily through mass lobbying and media pressure. On abortion, it has backed or promoted many of the Lords’ amendments mentioned above to roll back decriminalisation-type proposals and to restrict access to abortion.
What has Humanists UK done?
We have a long history of supporting abortion rights and reform. Humanists were active in campaigns for abortion law reform from the 1930s, and we were formally affiliated with the Abortion Law Reform Association from 1953. In recent years, we have played a visible role in campaigning for decriminalisation, particularly in Northern Ireland and in England and Wales. We have briefed parliamentarians, supported law reform, intervened in key cases, and worked alongside other pro-choice organisations to press for change. Throughout, we have argued for a compassionate, evidence-based approach that protects bodily autonomy and ensures access to safe and legal abortion care.
We recently mourned the death of Diane Munday, who dedicated her life to social reform, most notably as the principal leader of the campaign for the Abortion Act 1967.
Notes
For further comment or information, media should contact Humanists UK Head of Press and Campaign Communications Nathan Stilwell at press@humanists.uk or phone 0203 675 0959 (media only).
Read more about our work on sexual and reproductive rights.
Read our coverage of the Commons vote to decriminalise abortions for women.
Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non-religious people. Powered by over 150,000 members and supporters, we advance free thinking and promote humanism to create a tolerant society where rational thinking and kindness prevail. We provide ceremonies, pastoral care, education, and support services benefitting over a million people every year and our campaigns advance humanist thinking on ethical issues, human rights, and equal treatment for all.