MPs have urged the Well being Secretary to shut an abortion loophole that enables grooming gangs to cover their sexual abuse of youngsters.
In gentle of the latest media protection surrounding grooming gangs, MPs wrote to Wes Streeting explaining that in instances the place grooming gang victims aged 15 or below turn into pregnant, these crimes may be extra simply hid as there isn’t a requirement for an abortion. suppliers to inform a dad or mum or guardian earlier than performing an abortion on a baby.
Because the legislation at the moment stands, if a lady age 15 or youthful has an abortion, there isn’t a requirement that the well being professionals concerned within the abortion notify the lady's dad and mom or guardian. Dad and mom haven’t any authorized proper to learn or consulted earlier than their youngster undergoes an abortion.
Carla Lockhart MP defined in a letter to the well being secretary that some victims of grooming gangs aged 15 or youthful have been compelled into abortions with “little or no emotional assist from those that care most about them”.
She stated: “Little doubt the authorized established order has additionally made it a lot simpler for the vile people behind these crimes to cover the evil they’ve finished to those weak women.
“Had there been a statutory requirement for parental notification, it’s way more doubtless that questions would have been requested which might have probably led to the detection of those heinous crimes at an earlier stage.”
In a single case in Rochdale, a 13-year-old lady had an abortion in hospital in an try and cowl up the abuse. In one other case in Oxford, a 12-year-old lady was repeatedly raped and compelled to have an abortion after she turned pregnant.
Father of the Home and former minister, Sir Edward Leigh MP, stated: “It's exhausting to search out phrases to completely seize the extent of the horror that has befallen a number of the most weak folks in our society because of grooming gangs. scandal.
“This was an appalling failure and it’s a reduction that the highlight is now shining on it. It is usually clear that the present abortion legal guidelines have made it a lot simpler to cowl up these crimes. They need to be urgently revised to stop additional disasters of this scale.”
Commenting on the letter, former New Conservative MP and co-chair Miriam Cates stated: “As a baby below the age of 16 can’t legally consent to intercourse, there’s a excessive chance {that a} pregnant lady has been abused. It’s crucial that oldsters learn.” if there’s a suspicion that their youngster is being abused, how is it doable for that youngster to stay secure when that’s not the case?”
Robust public opposition
There was additionally a robust public backlash after a plot on Coronation Road revealed {that a} 14-year-old character was in a position to have a secret abortion with out her dad and mom understanding.
The general public was shocked to study that the plot mirrored the present legislation, below which abortion suppliers are usually not required to tell dad and mom or guardians earlier than performing an abortion.
Altering the legislation on this space would convey the UK in step with different European nations resembling Portugal, Italy and Spain, which have stricter parental notification necessities for ladies aged 15 and below who’ve an abortion.
A survey on this matter confirmed that the change within the legislation has vital assist. The survey discovered that 70% of oldsters agree that parental or guardian consent needs to be required for abortion for ladies aged 15 or youthful.
A spokeswoman for Proper To Life UK, Catherine Robinson, stated: “It’s stunning that the present legislation comprises no requirement for medical doctors to refer abortions to underage dad and mom.
“It undoubtedly permits abuse to go undetected and would make it simpler for the perpetrators of appalling crimes which have not too long ago been within the highlight to cowl up the crimes they so overtly dedicated.”
© Proper to Life UK
