Women Hurt

Women Hurt is an Irish anti-abortion organisation for women who regret having an abortion.[2] They campaign against change in the state's abortion law. They have appeared on TV debates about abortion,[3] and participated in anti-abortion protests.[4]

Women Hurt
Founded2011 (2011)[1]
Type
Location
Key people
  • Bernadette Goulding
  • Lynn Coles
  • Edel Best
WebsiteWomenHurt.ie

Women Hurt was founded in 2011[n 1] by Bernadette Goulding and Lynn Coles, both of whom regretted their abortions.[2] Goulding in 2003 had founded an Irish chapter of Rachel's Vineyard, a similar organisation with a Catholic perspective.[8][9][1] Coles had worked with a group called Surrendering the Secret, described as "an abortion recovery Bible study rooted in the Gospel".[1][10][11]

In 2013, during the debate about Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013, representatives spoke at the National Vigil for Life organised by the Pro Life Campaign,[12] and they participated in the 2014 Vigil.[13]

In 2017, Women Hurt was one of 17 groups selected to present to the Citizens' Assembly during its review of the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, which underpins Irish abortion law.[14] Women Hurt was represented by Anthony Levatino, a Doctor from the USA,[15] which drew criticism for being a male doctor talking about abortion rather than a personal story from a woman who regretted her abortion.[16]

See also

Footnotes
  1. An earlier body called "Women Hurt By Abortion" was launched in 1988 by Brian McKevitt, a Catholic priest who later edited Alive!.[5] It opposed the 1992 abortion referendums and was part of Family Solidarity.[6][7]

References
  1. Naughton, Celine (5 July 2011). "Why women shouldn't think of abortion as a 'dirty little secret'". Irish Independent. p. 17. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
  2. Women Hurt. "About Us". Retrieved 22 February 2017.
  3. Claire Byrne Live. 5 September 2016. RTÉ One.
  4. "Stand For Life Vigil - Dungarvan - Bernadette Goulding". YouTube. 5 March 2013.
  5. Hogan, Dick (2 May 1988). "Women wounded by abortion, says priest". The Irish Times. p. 12.
  6. Frankel, Glenn (29 June 1992). "Irish Catholic Traditions Confront Modern Trends". The Washington Post. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  7. Price, Christopher (April 1997). "Finding Fault with Irish Divorce Law". Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Review. 19: 669 –707: 679.
  8. "Rachel's Vineyard Comes to Ireland". Archived from the original on 5 February 2005.
  9. Goulding, Bernadette (13 November 2009). "Hope and healing for those hurt by abortion". Leitrim Observer. p. 31.
  10. Coles, Lynn (March–April 2014). "Healing the heartbreak of abortion". Families First.
  11. O'Brien, Breda (2 July 2011). "Attitudes, not pregnancy, are cause of 'crisis'". The Irish Times. p. 14.
  12. Keenan, Dan (8 June 2013). "Thousands attend Dublin abortion rally". The Irish Times. In an emotional contribution, Edel Best of Women Hurt, an organisation representing those who have had abortions, said she had suffered after two abortions. "Abortion stole my children," she said.
  13. Holland, Kitty (3 May 2014). "Thousands protest in Dublin against abortion law". The Irish Times.
  14. "17 Advocacy Groups to Address Citizens' Assembly on the Topic of Eighth Amendment". Citizens' Assembly. 21 February 2017.
  15. "The Citizens' Assembly will NOT hear from a woman who regrets having an abortion". TheJournal.ie. 3 March 2017. Dr Anthony Levatino will speak on behalf of Women Hurt.
  16. "Citizens Assembly hears from advocacy groups". Newstalk. 5 March 2017. Many members of the public watching the online live stream of the presentations commented on the fact that a male doctor was speaking on behalf of Women Hurt, rather than a personal story from a woman who regretted her abortion.
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