Back Off Scotland

Back Off Scotland is a campaign group advocating against the intimidation and harassment of women attending sexual health clinics in Scotland. Their main goal is to have 150 metre buffer zones established around clinics nationwide that provide abortion services in order to deter anti-abortion protestors and demonstrators.[3]

Back Off Scotland
Formation2020
FounderLucy Grieve[1],
Alice Murray[2]
Founded atEdinburgh
Volunteers
60+
Websitehttps://www.backoffscotland.com/
Formerly called
Back Off Chalmers

Formation

The campaign, originally entitled Back Off Chalmers with reference to Chalmers Sexual Health Clinic in Edinburgh, was co-founded by University of Edinburgh students, Lucy Grieve and Alice Murray[4]

The campaign to introduce 100m buffer zones around the clinic was started in October 2020 after an increase of the number of anti-abortion protestors from 40 Days for Life around the clinic. The campaigners claimed the protestors infringed on patients' rights to anonymity and health care.[5]

After launching a petition in Edinburgh on 9 November 2020, the group created a similar campaign in Glasgow and across Scotland. Following this, the campaign was renamed to Back Off Scotland[6]

Response

After a petition amassing 4,800 signatures was delivered, the Edinburgh City Council debated the issues and delivered their response in February 2021.[7] The council agreed that while they do not have the authority to implement the buffer zones themselves, they will back the movement and work with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities in order to support the campaign on a national scale.[7][8]

Glasgow City Council wrote that they didn't believe they had the power to create buffer zones, and that this must be taken to the Scottish Government.[9] Following the council's decision, a nationwide petition was launched via change.org to petition the Scottish Government to create new legislation.[9]

In the 2021 Scottish Parliament Elections, the Scottish National Party and Scottish Liberal Democrats included the introduction of 'Safe Zones' around abortion clinics in their election manifesto.[10][11][12]

In June 2022, Back Off Scotland requested First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon to hold an emergency abortion summit in the wake of Roe V Wade and an increase in protests in Scotland.[13] The summit was held on the 27 June 2022 and attended by Alice and Lucy. During the summit, the Scottish Government announced their intentions to support the Back Off Scotland campaign and introduce buffer zone legislation [14]

In July 2022 the group held musical events in Glasgow and Edinburgh to raise funds for their campaign.[15]

In February 2023, Back Off Scotland spoke at the second Scottish Abortion summit.[16]

Lucy and Alice were critical of the Scottish Government's inaction over buffer zone legislation and voiced concerns that the Government were backtracking on their commitment to a national 'blanket' approach. [17]

References
  1. Skopeliti, Clea (16 September 2022). "'Protesters just scream abuse': The campaigners battling to make UK abortion clinics safer". The Guardian.
  2. Skopeliti, Clea (16 September 2022). "'Protesters just scream abuse': The campaigners battling to make UK abortion clinics safer". The Guardian.
  3. "About". BackOffScotland. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  4. Skopeliti, Clea (16 September 2022). "'Protesters just scream abuse': The campaigners battling to make UK abortion clinics safer". The Guardian.
  5. "'We are anti-harassment': We spoke to the Edinburgh students behind Back off Chalmers". 23 November 2020.
  6. "About | Back off Scotland".
  7. "Edinburgh Council to support moves to have abortion clinic buffer zones". BBC News. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  8. "City of Edinburgh to support 'Back Off Scotland' in push for abortion clinic buffer zones". University of Edinburgh. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  9. "PETITION". BackOffScotland. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  10. "Our 2021 Manifesto". Scottish Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  11. SNP, the (15 April 2021). "SNP 2021 Manifesto: Scotland's Future, Scotland's Choice". Scottish National Party. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  12. Mackay, Neil (17 July 2022). "NEIL MACKAY'S BIG READ: Once intimidated at the gates of abortion clinics, Scotland's women are now fighting back against religious extremists". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  13. "Abortion Summit in Scotland to Reaffirm Right to Choose: Nicola Sturgeon". Bloomberg. 27 June 2022.
  14. "Abortion clinic buffer zones will happen, says Sturgeon". BBC News. 26 June 2022.
  15. Brown, Hannah (17 July 2022). "Back Off Scotland hosts live music nights in Edinburgh and Glasgow to raise funds for buffer zone campaign". www.scotsman.com. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  16. "Nicola Sturgeon's emergency abortion summit branded a flop by campaigners". 10 February 2023.
  17. "Nicola Sturgeon's emergency abortion summit branded a flop by campaigners". 10 February 2023.
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