Our Bodies! Our Lives!

Abortion rights in the UK and all over Europe are increasingly being threatened by the rise of conservative “pro-life” groups that actively engage in anti-abortion protests, ‘vigils’ and manipulative actions against women outside clinics.

The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) centre here in Stratford has recently become the object of attacks from one of these groups. The “Helpers of God’s Precious Infants” are a Catholic fundamentalist group based in the US, in Australia and in the UK that demonstrate outside clinics and harass women that are entering in an attempt to convince them not to have an abortion. They may look ‘harmless’, but they are highly organised, prepared and trained to put an enormous psychological pressure on women: showing them images of dead foetuses and babies, calling them ‘mummy’ and ‘daddy’, surrounding them, filming them or blocking their access to the clinic. Also, they spread lies about abortion such as it gives breast cancer!

This is totally unacceptable! We need to take action to stop them harassing women!

Today (16th April 2016) the Helpers are holding a vigil and a procession from St. John’s Church to BPAS centre in Stratford. They do this on a regular basis. Feminist Fightback are in Stratford to present a counter-force against this group. We want to show women that there are people on their side and make sure they can enter the clinic without being stressed, questioned, traumatised, made to feel guilty or have to justify themselves.

We call for support from the local community to defend the local BPAS centre, to show their indignation to those who have no respect for women and their decisions and to guarantee that women going to the clinic feel safe and supported.

Come and join us! Defend your abortion rights!