Voices
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Women's Stories
The decision to have a termination is an incredibly difficult one to make and each woman’s story is different.
Following are personal accounts from four Victorian women who have had an abortion in the last few years.
Fiona's Story [0]
Nicolle's Story [0]
Jane's Story [0]
Simone's Story [0]
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Abortion is every women's right.
It is every woman's right to decide what happens to her body, not politicians.
Heaven forbid that we return to the 'old days' when women died from illegal abortions, as an old nurse called them - heartbreaking.
No-one can tell another person what to do with their body. No-one can force a woman to have a baby.
My body means my right to chose.
There are a multitude if life situations that arise for women when unplanned/unwanted pregnancy can jeopardise health and life. This needs to be recognised by our legal system in order for social justice to prevail.
Women's bodies belong to them to make choices. Prevention to have an unwanted baby is best.
Women do not undertake it lightly and have many reasons for choosing the procedure. Please make it safe and easy.
Responsible adults deserve the right to chose.
The risks to women and children of criminalising abortion make a travesty of 'right to life'.
It's a hard enough choice.
Apart from the obvious mistakes happen, it is our right and fear for mother and child.
Sexual and reproductive health is a fundamental human right and informed choices and options respect that right. Respect and equity.
Leave women's bodies alone!!
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Abortion is a women's health issue. Women should be able to have control over their own bodies, it is not a legal issue.
As a GP I see many women who need a chance of abortion for unplanned pregnancy - for mental and physical health reasons.
We have the gift if being able to have life, but we should have the right to decide when or whether we should make the sacrifice to do so.
Women should have the right to choose - if she decides not to continue her pregnancy she must have access to legal, medical services.
People who clearly do not want children (it is a personal choice) should not have to bring children into such situation.
I have the right to chose! Make it legal.
Having children when they are unwanted is bad for the mother, baby and everyone involved.
Pro-choice is the way to go without fear and shame.
A child deserves and recognises a lot of attention, resources and opportunities. If a woman can't provide that she should have a choice in whether to have the child or not. Child raising is a serious matter.
Every woman deserves the freedom to be able to make choices about their lives.
It is a fundamental right to control one's fertility.
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Sometimes people find themselves in difficult situations where they can't bring a child, whether it be family not supporting you or financial trouble. Some aren't prepared.
Simple! It's her body, her life that will change: her choice!!
It may be better to act responsibly for ones self and their children's future than bring an unwanted child into the world.
No one has the right to tell women what to do with their bodies.
All women deserve the right to choose the fate of their life’s direction.
The Crimes Act is not the way to deal with a medical issue. A caring society would value women's voices and listen to their needs and wants.
Protect the mother’s right to choice.
I have had 2 children and 2 abortions in my life. My first abortion just after my 21st birthday and my second not long after. I already had my other 2 daughters between the age of 19 and 21 and could not use birth control as it did not work. I had an irresponsible drug addict partner who to no responsibility. I was in no position to have more children. We are no longer together, I am a struggling single mother of 2. And would have found life difficult to look after 4. Bringing these other 2 into my world at the time was not right.
We have been fighting this battle too long.
As a mother, I have the right to choose what is best for my children, both born and unborn.
As a man I believe that women have the right to choose when to conceive. Mistakes are made but paying the price is not best for the child most of the time.
It is my right to decide not those who purport to decide the morals of the majority. What right have they?
Living in a country with free speech, I believe it is in every woman's right to make a choice about freedom of their body.
It is a woman's body and her life. She should have the ultimate say as to what happens to her body.
Pro Choice is not Pro Abortion. Criminalisation removes choice.
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As a woman I believe that as condoms and the Pill are not entirely protective all women need the protection of abortion. As all women may not be ready for child bearing. A child conceived with resent is detrimental to all included.
A woman is the best person to make a decision about her problem pregnancy, not legislature which knows nothing about her and her circumstances.
Abortion should be available as a range of reproductive health choices.
My body my decision!
No legislation, politician or other can make that decision. It is my decision alone, it should be my decision.
You cannot tell people what decisions to make when it concerns their life and body.
As the foetus can't exist on its own, it is the woman's not society’s right to decide on life, until the foetus does not rely on her for life.
Women's bodies, women's choice.
I am strong enough to stand by the choices I make.
Keep your laws off my body.
No one can ever really understand my personal circumstances more than me and my partner.
Women need the right to decide what is right for them without worrying about prosecution!
The woman knows best what probable future life the foetus will have. A child has the right not to be born if it will have no parental support or care.
It's a choice for the individual. Pro-choice doesn’t force ideas on pro-life, they just want to make their own decisions.
Because I don't want any one else making decisions about my body.
Every woman should have the right to choose - it is her body/mind.
Because it is my body and my right to decide what I want to do with it.
Women have a right to choose and decide what's best for them and whether are able to have a child.
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Our body is our own. We are left to deal with the consequences. We need the ultimate say and support in all decisions affecting us.
Women are ultimately responsible for the right to decide if they want children or not.
A foetus is not a child. I decide what happens to my body and when. The laws of Victoria need to reflect this right.
It's a women's choice what to do with her own body - make it safe and legal for her!
The right to choice is the foundation of a civil society.
CHOICE - it is for me to make! Not anyone else - not government or politicians to make for me.
The anti abortion position has never been accompanied by responsibility for the women and unwanted children affected. It's time to afford women both rights and responsibility.
Having a child is the most life changing thing to happen in life. Women have the right to choose when and if they want this to happen.
Too many women in the world have no control over their bodies. Set the example, give us back our bodies.
It's my body, my physical risk in giving birth. A foetus is not a child. Banning abortion is just a way to control women, their bodies, their emotions and their lives, since being forced to give birth impacts on women forever!
I'm a male and I believe its every women's right to chose whether or not she has a child.
Women have the need and right to decide whether they have a child and children have the need and right to be wanted.
If you can't trust me with a choice, how can you trust me with a child?
I do not regret the choice I made to terminate. I am a responsible woman.
I have a right to vote. I have a right to chose what happens to my body.
Informed women are in the best position to know what is best for them re abortion.
A woman has a right to decide about her body.
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This is a fundamental right which shouldn't be interfered with by politicians and religious organisations.
Current laws are out of step with society.
Governments shouldn't have the power to dictate a woman's control over her body.
Protect women's quality of life.
Abortion is every woman's right.
Unwanted pregnancies mean unwanted children which often results in life-long psychological damage.
This issue has personally affected our family. It's never a black/white issue - all women should have a legal right to choose.
I believe that abortion should be an issue for the woman concerned and others closely involved with her - nobody else. I deeply resent the fear campaign conducted by the Catholic Church and others.
In order to have a fulfilling life, every child should be wanted. Let women take care of the moral decisions themselves.
Women should have the right to choose over their own biological functions.
Women largely have the consequences of unwanted pregnancy, let them decide!
I very strongly believe that a woman ought to have the right to legally choose to have an abortion performed.
It should always be a woman's right to control her body not the state.
In an age where women can choose pregnancy or not via contraception, we should be able to terminate pregnancy via abortion when contraception has failed or not been available.
It is every woman’s right to decide on whether or not she wants a child. No one else.
My mother used to nurse seriously ill young women operated on by backyard abortionists. Many died.
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Does the individual own their body? If they have no choice they do not own themselves. If they don't own their body the government must own them.
It is time to stop talking about abortion as a criminal issue and start talking about it as an issue of health, choice and self-esteem.
I raised a child by choice. That was hard enough in itself. Children have to be cherished.
I don't want young women today to go through the trauma I suffered when faced with unwanted pregnancy.
Those that don't believe in abortion don’t have to have one, but don't try to impose your beliefs on me and other women.
This is a choice all women should be free to make.
This is not a decision someone else can or should make for me.
Abortion is a fact of life, by making it legal we make it safe.
Nobody else has the right to make another persons decision for them.
The alternative is not a humane option. The majority of women want choice - please represent our lack of parliamentary representation adequately.
Do not let a minority group dictate to the majority. Individual choice must prevail.
Because the woman carries it for 9 months and usually has the responsibility to look after it and care for it.
I am 87 years of age - so during my life have seen the result of backyard abortions - awful! So, well counselled, free to choose abortions please!
It wouldn't be an easy decision to make but there has to be the option and supported in the choice.
Termination is never an easy choice but a woman should have the right to be able to make that choice and be supported by the law.
I hope never to have an abortion, it is the absolute last resort. But if it is necessary, I need it to be available and acceptable.
100 years since women gained the right to vote, but still our rights are not fully recognised. My body-my right.
Because it is every woman's right!!!!
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You should not have the power to make this decision for me. I am the only one fit to do that.
Every woman has the right to choose what to do with their bodies.
My body. My decision. Don't push abortion underground. Free, safe, rare.
Everyone should be able to decide for themselves what happens to their body.
I have rights over my body that on-one should be able to take away. All women deserve this right to be protected.
I was a nurse in the 1940's and saw the results of backyard abortions, mostly fatal.
Remove all traces of abortion from the criminal code - my body, my choice. No one else’s!
Child bearing makes massive demands on a woman's life, affecting physical and emotional health. The consequences for an unwanted child can be horrendous.
Those who decide abortion is appropriate should be free to accept this option without stigma. The law needs to lead the way to the removal of prejudice.
My body: my right. A woman's body and all its functions/productions while still internal are hers to control exclusively. Please respect this.
Tell those that oppose abortion to raise the unwanted child.
No body has the choice on how to handle my body except me.
Women have the right to make informed decisions regarding abortion.
My work in counter-terrorism training would not have been possible if I’d not had access to a safe abortion when I was an undergraduate. But why to I feel ashamed of my choice? Because the law is against me.
I never faced the choice of abortion, I was fortunate to have 3 healthy planned children. Every child should be wanted, no woman should have to bear an unwanted child. It should be her choice under Option C.
Please respect my human rights to space my family and for my son and daughter to also do so: Model C
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I'm male and believe firmly that it's a right that should be respected by law.
A change of law is overdue. Access to appropriate healthcare and relevant choice are a human right.
Every child should be a wanted child- let women control their bodies and families.
In these difficult situations a woman deserves the right to make her own moral and ethical decision.
Model C is the only option that finally makes my body, my future, my choice.
End the legal dictatorship over our bodies please let us choose.
Model C is the only option which recognises my reproductive rights and freedoms are mine alone, not a doctor or an MP.
Abortion should be regulated the same way as every other medical procedure.
Every woman is entitled to make their own choice to have an abortion or not.
No medical, state or church paternalism. If women have the final choice and say, then the right decisions will be made. Vote for Model C!
A woman is the best judge of whether she will be a good mother and should have the choice.
Women's choice is a human right - not the discretion of government.
It is the duty of government to ensure human rights are addressed in a humane, fair and equitable manner.
Abortion is every woman's right so let it be.
Women should have the right to choose what happens with their bodies and lives.
Protecting women's reproductive health makes sense.
Please listen to the thousands that have been before, and the thousands yet to come. We deserve sovereignty over our bodies. That is the only way forward.
Women's rights are violated if they don't have control over their own bodies and decisions.
My decision to have an abortion was hard enough without also knowing that it was a crime! Decriminalise abortion!
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Fundamental right is the right to choice and respect for women's decisions.
Women should have the full rights to decide what happens to their bodies.
True respect and equality for women means acknowledging their right to make decisions about their bodies and lives.
Please don't make criminals out of women making difficult choices.
I believe that only person who has the right to decide whether an abortion is necessary is the women who is pregnant.
Please help to make a difficult decision a decriminalised one.
The decision is a hard one - not taken lightly by anyone, but the ability to make the hard choice cannot be withdrawn.
With current state of family breakdown and mental health of women, spouses and children, it's critical we have the right to this decision.
Make it FAIR!
Women have to bear and raise children, sometimes they can't do this, so they must have a choice.
Because it is no-one's right to push their opinions on someone else.
No law should make a child that is not wanted.
Freedom, Equality, Self-determination for women.
Enough is enough, surely in this day and age women have control over their own bodies. It should not be a matter for lawmakers.
Choice is a basic human right.
Only a woman can decide if she is capable of giving the quality of life a child needs in the world.
It’s not fair to make decisions for someone else.
No-one can tell a women what she can and can't do with her own body!
Women's right can only be achieved through leadership and challenging dysfunctional frameworks and laws.
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