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It means that any demonstrators wishing to protest against a woman’s right to emergency healthcare will have to be at least 200 meters away from wherever the center is.
It is hoped that the new legislation will go a long way in preventing anti-abortion protesters from intimidating patients and staff.
Today was called “a crucial day for reproductive rights” by Ms Mackay – the Green MSP who led the work.
What is the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Bill about?
It aims to create “safe access zones” around all places that provide abortion services in Scotland.
The Bill will now see a distance of 200m created around these places which would prohibit people from harassing others or trying to influence or prevent patients from accessing services.
The domain size can be increased or decreased if needed.
It will now be an offense to act in a particular way within a secure access zone. This includes:
- Influencing another person’s decision to access abortion services
- Preventing another person from accessing abortion services
- To cause disturbance, alarm, or distress to another person in connection with their decision to access, provide, or facilitate the provision of abortion services
Examples of this type of behavior include holding up signs with anti-abortion messages, physically blocking the entrances to the property, and protesting.
Anyone who commits an offense will face a fine of up to £10,000, or an unlimited fine in the most serious cases.
Why was the Safe Access Zones Bill introduced?
In recent years, anti-abortion protests have taken place outside a number of abortion providers in Scotland, the most prominent being at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) and Edinburgh’s Chalmers clinic.
This brought the issue further into the public eye, and media scrutiny encouraged debate around the issue, before Gillian Mackay officially presented the proposal to introduce stricter laws.
The Bill is aimed at protecting access to abortion services in Scotland, ensuring that people can access the services without fear, harassment and public opinion.
READ MORE: Anti-abortion group begins 40 days of protest outside QEUH
It also aims to ensure that patients are protected from attempts to influence or persuade them in relation to their decision to use services.
And the Bill intends to ensure that staff are protected from attempts to influence their decision to provide abortion services.
Where is my nearest Secure Access Zone?
The Scottish Government has published a list, showing where every Safe Access Zone is in the country.
Each zone includes a map showing where the health service can be accessed and a colour-coded zone showing the nearest area to where any protesters would be legally permitted to demonstrate in relation to the hospital or health centre.
The full list can be found here.
What were the arguments over Buffer Zones?
Campaigners argued that buffers were needed to prevent intimidation and harassment when accessing reproductive health care services.
Back Off Scotland, the grassroots campaign which has been at the forefront of calls for buffers, argued that the right to privacy and the right to access essential medical services should be protected.
The group gathered evidence from thousands of women across Scotland who shared their experiences of being harassed outside abortion clinics.
Women had reported being shouted at by anti-abortion protesters, called “murderers” and given medical misinformation.
Back Off Scotland said: “This is not about suppressing free speech or silencing either side of a debate. It’s about ensuring people’s right to seek medical care, free from threats.”
What are the arguments against Buffer Zones?
Critics of the plans for buffer zones argue that banning protesting and vigils would threaten rights to freedom of opinion, religion and protest.
Christians said the Bill would be “extreme” and lead to “criminal prayer”.
In a submission to the Bill’s consultation, the Scottish Bishops’ Conference said it would “criminalize people for expressing certain opinions and occupying certain places”.
The group agreed that blocking access to facilities should not be allowed, but argued that the police had enough powers to prevent that.
It has also been argued that the protests / vigils expose women to “alternative” options to abortion, however, this is already being provided by medical experts.
(Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
source link https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24606140.explained-safe-access-zones-abortion-buffer-zones/?ref=rss
