A group of activists this morning held signs in Triton Square with the message “I had an abortion.” The stunt, which comes just a week before the pro-choice rally on Saturday 30th September, served to shed light on the oppressive reality surrounding the topic of abortion in Malta. The stunt’s aim is to also highlight how common, although illegal, abortion is.
The pro-choice rally is organised annually by the Voice for Choice coalition to commemorate International Safe Abortion Day (28th September). The theme of this year’s event will be the stigma that still pervades our society in relation to the topic of abortion.
“Abortion is common. Abortion is normal. Everyone loves someone who had an abortion,” the activists declared.
In Malta, at least 1 person a day uses abortion pills to self-manage an abortion at home. Abortion pills (mifepristone and misoprostol) are medically safe. In fact, they are included in the WHO’s list of essential medicines.
Despite this, abortion is still criminalised in Malta and anyone who has or helps with an abortion may face up to 3 years imprisonment. Just a few months ago, a woman was prosecuted for having an abortion after being reported to the police by her abusive partner. “The State helped perpetuate the cycle of violence,” the activists said.
Abortion bans and the criminalisation of women and pregnant people do not and will NEVER stop abortions from happening. Instead, they only create an environment of fear, perpetuate feelings of shame and guilt, and reinforce stigmatisation and social ostracism.
“People who have abortions should not be judged or criminalised. All residents of Malta deserve to be treated with respect. We should be granted the autonomy to decide what is best for ourselves, our bodies, our health, and our lives,” the activists insisted. “We stand here in solidarity with people who do not feel safe and comfortable speaking publicly about their own abortion experiences,” the activists said.
The rally, which will take place on Saturday 30th September, starting at 4 pm from Castille Square, will call for abortion to be decriminalised, normalised, destigmatised, and made available and accessible locally.
The 14 organisations in the Voice for Choice Coalition are:
Academics for Choice
aditus foundation
Doctors for Choice
Grandparents for Choice
Integra Foundation
Lawyers for Choice
Malta Humanists Association
Men Against Violence
MGRM
Moviment Graffitti
Parents for Choice
Students for Choice
Women’s Rights Foundation
Young Progressive Beings
Grupp ta’ attivisti llum ltqagħu fi Pjazza Tritoni b’għadd ta’ kartelluni bil-messaġġ “Jien għamilt abort.” Din l-azzjoni, li saret eżatt ġimgħa qabel mhu se ssir il-pro-choice rally is-Sibt, 30 ta’ Settembru, kellha l-għan li tixħet dawl fuq ir-realtà oppressiva li tiċċirkonda s-suġġett tal-abort f’Malta. L-għan ta’ din l-azzjoni huwa ukoll biex jintwera kemm l-abort huwa komuni, allavolja illegali.
Il-pro-choice rally tiġi organizzata kull sena mill-koalizzjoni Voice for Choice sabiex jiġi mfakkar il-Jum Internazzjonali għal Abort Sikur (28 ta’ Settembru). It-tema tal-avveniment din is-sena se tkun l-istigma li għadha tinħass mifruxa b’mod wiesa’ fis-soċjetà tagħna fejn jidħol l-abort.
“L-abort huwa komuni. L-abort huwa normali. Kulħadd iħobb lil xi ħadd li għamel abort,” stqarrew l-attivisti.
F’Malta, mill-inqas persuna waħda kuljum tuża l-pilloli tal-abort biex tagħmel abort id-dar. Il-pilloli tal-abort (mifepristone u misoprostol) huma medikalment sikuri. Infatti, huma mniżżla fil-lista ta’ mediċini essenzjali tal-WHO.
Minkejja dan, l-abort xorta waħda għadu jiġi kriminalizzat f’Malta u kull min jagħmel jew jgħin f’abort jista’ jaffaċċja sa 3 snin ħabs. Ftit xhur ilu biss, mara ġiet imħarrka u mtella’ l-qorti talli għamlet abort wara li kienet ġiet irrappurtata lill-pulizija mis-sieħeb abbużiv tagħha. “L-Istat kien kompliċi fil-perpetwazzjoni taċ-ċiklu ta’ vjolenza,” qalu l-attivisti.
Il-projbizzjoni tal-abort u l-kriminalizzazzjoni ta’ nisa u persuni tqal ma jwaqqfux, u qatt m’huma se jwaqqfu, l-abort milli jkompli jsir. Minflok, qed iservu biss biex joħolqu klima ta’ biża’, jipperpetwaw sentimenti ta’ ħtija u mistħija, u jsaħħu l-istigma u l-esklużjoni soċjali.
“Persuni li għamlu abort m’għandhomx jiġu ġġudikati jew kriminalizzati. Ir-residenti kollha ta’ Malta jistħoqqilhom li jiġu ttrattati b’rispett. Għandu jkollna l-awtonomija li niddeċiedu x’inhu l-aħjar għalina, għal ġisimna, għal saħħitna, u għal ħajjitna,” insistew l-attivisti. “Aħna qegħdin hawn biex nuru solidarjetà ma’ dawk li ma jħossuhomx sikuri u komdi li jitkellmu pubblikament dwar l-esperjenzi tagħhom tal-abort,” qalu l-attivisti.
Ir-rally, li se ssir is-Sibt, 30 ta’ Settembru, u tibda fl-4pm mill-Pjazza ta’ Kastilja, se tkun qed tappella sabiex l-abort jiġi dekriminalizzat, normalizzat, destigmatizzat, u jsir disponobbli u aċċessibbli lokalment.
L-14-il għaqda fil-Koalizzjoni Voice for Choice huma:
Academics for Choice
aditus foundation
Doctors for Choice
Grandparents for Choice
Integra Foundation
Lawyers for Choice
Malta Humanists Association
Men Against Violence
MGRM
Moviment Graffitti
Parents for Choice
Students for Choice
Women’s Rights Foundation
Young Progressive Beings
