By the sixth week of pregnancy, many women have not yet found out they are pregnant. However, this is the deadline by which South Carolina resident women can have an abortion.
The decision fell on Wednesday 23 August in this southern US state, which became, after last year’s repeal of the Roe v. Wade, a shelter for people wishing to have an abortion. There, abortion was practiced up to the 22nd week of pregnancy.
A decision made by men
Composed only of men, the South Carolina Supreme Court – the highest court in the state – reversed this right by overturning a previous decision made by the court, which held that a restriction on the right to abortion was unconstitutional.
“Certainly the 2023 law harms women’s right to privacy and bodily autonomy”South Carolina Supreme Court Justice John Kittredge said in a statement. But “We believe it is important to reiterate: We are bound by the express language of the South Carolina Constitution which prohibits only ‘unreasonable invasions of privacy’”.
However, the 6 male judges considered that limiting abortion to 6 weeks of pregnancy was not one of them “unreasonable invasion of privacy” and that’“at some point in pregnancy, the woman’s interest in autonomy and privacy does not outweigh the child’s interest in being born and living”.
Read also: One year later Roe vs. Wade, a brilliant documentary analyzes the threats to abortion in Europe
A first step before the total ban on abortion
If Republican senators – the majority in the House – welcomed the news by declaring that South Carolina was not “no longer a destination for abortion but a refuge for unborn children”horrified Planned Parenthood, which campaigns for universal access to sexual health care and advocacy for reproductive rights.
Quoted from The New York TimesJenny Black, executive director of Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, said the ruling would force women to carry a pregnancy against their will and highlights the “Dangerous politicization of South Carolina’s highest court”.
“I don’t need to imagine the harm this will cause to patients. We’ve already talked about this before Dr. Katherine Farris, chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, told reporters. Hundreds of people were forced to walk hundreds of kilometres [pour obtenir des soins]. »
Especially since South Carolina might not stop there. Under pressure from anti-abortion groups, which are very active in the region, Republican senators have suggested putting pressure on the state to obtain a total ban on abortion, even in cases of rape or incest.
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Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
