Sister Supporter are a British advocacy group who campaign for the introduction of buffer zones around abortion clinics.[1] The group also runs a hotline to gather information about harassment by anti-abortion protestors outside of clinics.[2]

History

The group was founded in late-2015 in Ealing, in response to harassment by anti-abortion campaigners outside of the local MSI Reproductive Choices clinic.[3] In 2018, after two years of campaigning, the group successfully got the local authority to introduce a buffer zone using a public spaces protection order, the first buffer zone to be implemented in the UK.[4] Following implementation of the buffer zone, reported cases of harassment against the clinic's staff and patients dropped significantly.[5]

In 2020, the group successfully campaigned for the introduction of a buffer zone in Fallowfield, Manchester.[6][7][8]

In July 2022, the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council announced that it would be launching a public consultation on introducing a buffer zone around the Bournemouth British Pregnancy Advisory Service clinic following a campaign by the local Sister Supporter branch, including a petition that received over 4000 signatures.[9][10]

In October 2022, MPs voted in favour of national buffer zone legislation which Ealing group Sister Supporter said will help woman to not receive “anti-choice intimidation and harassment at abortion clinics across England and Wales.” https://ealing.news/news/ealing-group-sister-supporter-set-to-see-its-protected-buffer-zones-for-woman-seeking-abortions-to-be-replicated-in-england-and-wales/

References

  1. ^ Snape, Alice (May 30, 2022). "Doctors are calling for 'buffer zones' outside of abortion clinics in the UK". Cosmopolitan. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  2. ^ "We're still fighting for abortion rights in the UK, but we're winning". Dazed. March 13, 2020. Archived from the original on October 17, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  3. ^ Schofield, Daisy (July 18, 2022). "The battle for abortion clinic buffer zones in the UK". Huck Magazine. Archived from the original on July 18, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  4. ^ "How we won the UK's first-ever buffer zone around an abortion clinic". openDemocracy. Archived from the original on 2022-06-27. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
  5. ^ Silver, Laura. "Here's How Things Have Changed At The First UK Abortion Clinic To Have A Buffer Zone". BuzzFeed. Archived from the original on 2021-05-17. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
  6. ^ Abbit, Beth (October 12, 2020). "Anti-abortion demonstrators banned from protesting outside Manchester clinic". Manchester Evening News. Archived from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  7. ^ Amy Woodyatt. "'Americanized' anti-abortion protests are on the rise in the UK. But a fight back has begun". CNN. Archived from the original on 2022-05-16. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
  8. ^ Lester, Daisy (November 28, 2018). "An interview with Sister Supporter". The Mancunion. Archived from the original on August 13, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  9. ^ "Bournemouth: Consultation over abortion clinic buffer zone". July 21, 2022. Archived from the original on July 22, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2022 – via www.bbc.com.
  10. ^ "4,000 people sign petition calling for aborting clinic buffer zone". Bournemouth Echo. Archived from the original on 2022-07-13. Retrieved 2022-07-21.

External links

Abortion in the United Kingdom
Categories