I will undergo an abortion! (Jag ska göra abort)

Yesterday I watched a documentary on Swedish National TV by Erik Sandberg and Liv Weisberg who give room for men and women to express themselves breaking the silence (and taboo!) about negative consequences after having gone through an abortion.

 This is a sensitive issue; the RFSU (the Swedish Association for Sexuality Education) prides itself that ever since the organization's inception in 1933, that it has regarded abortion as a central issue. "The woman's right to make her own decision about whether or not to have children is of fundamental importance to her self-esteem and freedom independently to choose how to live. Sweden's Abortion Act, which was passed in 1975, gives women the right to have an abortion without stating any reasons up to the end of the 18th week of pregnancy".

Since this Act came into existence approx. 700,000 women have undergone 1,1 million abortions.

 The thought of how 1,1 million lives are extinguished; persons with an unique identity and unique purposes – and let us not forget; with God-given qualities, characteristics and purposes, makes me sick. I watched the program and saw how a doctor and some nurses initiated the abortion and I felt "there goes another life down the drain", and I wondered what might have become of the particular individual when given the right to live?!

- What will it take for us to break away from our self-serving, self-centered, self-focused, self-realization way of life and look LIFE straight in the eyes?

- What will it take to move from claiming all our so-called RIGHTS to an attitude of giving up rights for the sake of others?

Jenny's story
What shocked me the most and what the makers of the program wanted to address was the total lack of accurate and (for the ones involved) valuable information in the pre-abortion process to be able to make sustainable choices about whether to get an abortion or not.

We followed Jenny, a 19 year old young woman through this process as she met with a midwife, and finally on day X (Bloody Monday) with the team of medically trained "professionals" who initiated the abortion.

If we pride ourselves in this nation to provide a great public health service in regards to the Abortion Act (and we think we are so good at it that we want to export it throughout the world!), then we also need to dare to question the process which we apply and dare to evaluate the results of our so-called wonderful politics and praxis. (NOTE: Don't get me wrong: I am against abortions!)

 Jenny, in her desperation did not find ANYONE who gave her the input she needed in this process. Her questions about the consequences of an abortion in her life and how she would come out of it were brushed away with a generalizing remark that most people have no problems whatsoever afterwards.

 In the program we recognized Jenny's ambivalence feelings in regards to the choice she was making. How professionals and even her father (who was invited to join her for the abortion in the hospital) could avoid recognizing this young woman's despair in this situation leaves me baffled. How undiscerning is one allowed to be? Isn't empathy and plain human discernment to be part of the dehumanizing process of an abortion? (Don't answer me; I have given the answer already!)

 "THEY HAVE TAKEN MY BABY!"…was the first thing Jenny uttered after she woke up. Flash-back: Jenny cried and was desperate before the abortion while waiting for her turn in the hospital bed /room; … she went crying into the operation room and NO ONE understood (wanted to understand) that she was absolutely not ready for this! 

"Dad, you were there, why didn't you do anything to protect your daughter from this trauma? I honestly do not understand!" – remark by me.

What is my point? We pride ourselves to the right and the ability to make our own choices. We try to remove existential questions and issues from uncomfortable situations reducing them to pragmatic actions which take not only the lives of millions unborn human beings… but leave deep scars, open wounds and tremendous traumas in those who have been involved in an abortions process; men and women alike.

We have thousands of walking wounded people among us who need care, support and restoration in their lives. The least you and I can do, besides standing up for the right to live for everyone (including the unborn), is to be available to touch, with the power of Jesus Christ, the thousands among us who are living with "death" inside of them as a direct result of abortions.

 That's the Way I see it!

 John 

Research done in Malmö by Hanna Söderberg  shows that of the group who agreed to participate in the follow-up interview, 50-60% reported the occurrence of post-abdominal emotional distress, which was estimated as severe in 16% of cases. (1998, Urban women applying for induced abortion. Studies of epidemiology, attitudes and emotional reactions).

A more recent study addressed in "Läkartidningen nr 48 -05" shows that 38% of the women experiences negative consequences after an abortion.

 Check the program: http://svt.se/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=2222&lid=puff_484730&lpos=extra_0