News

Abortion stigma affects us all

Abortions have existed since time immemorial and are one of the most common and safest medical procedures. But the stigma that often surrounds abortion and anyone associated with it—women, providers, pharmacists and advocates—contributes to abortion’s social, medical and legal marginalization.

Abortion stigma plays out on so many levels. Women who need abortions face stigma and may even perpetuate it, as do providers of abortion services. Entire communities separate, stereotype and discriminate against women who need abortions. Legal frameworks create categories of “acceptable” and “unacceptable” abortions. And abortions have been separated from comprehensive reproductive health-care services and insurance programs, as well as totally dissociated from family planning.

In the United States, abortion has become a lynchpin in our political debates and cultural wars and the sentiment has spread to other countries.

In many of the countries where Ipas works in the global south, when women feel shame about abortion and can’t access accurate information, they often delay care or turn to untrained, unsafe providers, increasing the likelihood for complications and injuries, even death.

At Ipas, we’re working to understand the manifestations of abortion stigma and develop strategies to combat it. In this issue of Because, we highlight some of what we’ve learned. We welcome your feedback, as always. Send e-mails to because_magazine@ipas.org.

— Anu Kumar, Ipas Executive Vice President, Development,
Communications & Community Access

— Leila Hessini, Ipas Director of Community Access & Youth Leadership

Source: http://www.ipasbecause.org/