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ACT Right to Life AssociationN E W S L E T T E RChristmas 1997 |
Moore’s euthanasia bid fails!Both Government and Opposition members combined in the ACT Legislative Assembly on 5 November to reject independent MLA Michael Moore’s Crimes (Assisted Suicide) Bill 1997. The Bill would have allowed doctors, under some circumstances, to assist a patient to administer a lethal injection for a $50 fine. The Bill was designed to bypass the Federal Euthanasia Laws Act, passed earlier this year, which prevents Territories from legalising euthanasia.
Mr Moore only received support from the two Green MLAs.
President of the ACT Right to Life Association, Nicola Pantos, welcomed the news that the Bill would not receive the Assembly’s support.
"It is good to see that both Government and Opposition are rejecting lethal injections as a solution to the very complex issues facing those patients who have a terminal illness. Patients should be allowed to die naturally, without the added pressures of having to refuse a lethal injection and the associated danger that some patients will feel obliged to accept euthanasia," Ms Pantos said. "Let’s hope that both the major parties in the Assembly show similar wisdom after the 1998 ACT election."
Ms Pantos’s reference to the ACT election on 21 February 1998 is timely. The Association is already preparing to remind the ACT electorate of the position of various candidates on life issues. Of most concern is that the new leader of the ACT Labor Party, Wayne Berry MLA, has in the past tried to legalise abortion across the board. If elected as the new Chief Minister after the next election, the ACT could become one of the the most liberal jurisdictions with regard to abortion in the world.
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Karinya House for Mothers and Babies has recently welcomed its first resident, a young woman who gave birth to a beautiful baby boy on 4 December, just in time for Christmas.
The Karinya House committee and staff wish to thank all those who have so generously supported their work, particularly through raising funds in the recent car raffle. The raffle was drawn on 29 November and won by Paul Lewis of Rivett ACT. It raised an estimated $30,000 for the House.
The work of Karinya House involves the provision of a caring and supportive environment for women who are pregnant and without appropriate accomodation and support. The service is non-denominational and it offers this care, within the Canberra region to any woman who finds herself in such need. This work will be greatly assisted and sustained through the support of volunteers. It is envisaged that teams of volunteers will work with staff in various capacities, including: home and garden care, companions for the residents and fundraising.
If you would like to help as a volunteer at Karinya House, please phone the coordinator, Marie Louise Corkhill on : 02 6259 8998
Karinya House
PO Box 151
CURTIN ACT 2605
Donations to Karinya House of $2 or more are tax deductible.
Pro-life Get TogethersInspired by their involvement with the Association’s schools education programme, some young people from the Disciples of Jesus Community set about organising a monthly "pro-life get together" which ran through the second half of 1997. Guest speakers were invited to address the group on various pro-life issues. These included: Leonie Kelly from Pregnancy Support, Melinda Tankard-Reist, writer and researcher on bioethical issues and Dr Warwick Neville from the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. Dr Neville spoke at the final meeting for 1997 which was held at Parliament House and among other things recounted details of the Super Clinics Case. The meeting was also graced with a brief visit by Senator Harradine who bolstered our determination with some brief words of encouragement. The meetings are aimed at young adults (though everyone is welcome) and have been attracting an average attendance of between twenty and thirty people all of whom have expressed an interest in continuing the meetings next year. Details of 1998 meetings will be available from the Association’s office by the end of February.
Family Planning
(ACT)ACTRTLA vice president Jeremy Stuparich attended Family Planning ACT’s annual general meeting on 27 October to hear an update on FPACT’s activities and to hear guest speaker Senator Margaret Reid. Family Planning ACT owns and operates the ACT’s abortion clinic and receives a substantial grant from the ACT Government to provide pregnancy "counselling". Family Planning ACT has lost 10% of its Commonwealth grants money as part of general government cutbacks. Yet the annual report reveals that while it received only $800 in 1996-97 in membership subscriptions, it received a staggering $800,000 in government grants.
In BriefEMILY’s List
Reacting to news that a group called "EMILY’s List" would only support women Labor candidates who supported abortion, Catholic Auxiliary Bishop Pat Power wrote to The Canberra Times (7 November 1997) observing that "... unless a woman is in favour of abortion she can be counted out for EMILY’s List. One wonders where choice comes in there ... Really ‘pro-choice’ means ‘no choice’ for the unborn child."
Post Abortion
SyndromePost Abortion Syndrome (PAS) is understood to be a type of post-traumatic stress disorder. Its outward manifestations such as postnatal depression, suicidal behaviour, drug and alcohol abuse, eating disorders, marriage and family breakdown, child neglect and abuse, domestic violence, depression, anxiety attacks and mental health problems are increasingly evident in our communities today.
Melbourne psychiatrist Dr Eric Seal, who defined PAS as "a delayed or slow developing, prolonged and sometimes chronic grief syndrome..." stated: "The post-abortion syndrome is not like a more severe form of post-natal blues. It is far more serious, more delayed in onset, more lasting and more fundamentally involved in subsequent personality development" he also said that "If the syndrome persists and is not treated adequately, personality changes will gradually emerge and affect one’s family life, one’s working capacity, one’s social and recreational potentials to say the least." [ Transcript from "Post Abortion Syndrome Seminar" Melbourne 1988]
However, research on post abortion trauma has been inadequate, and numerous unscientific papers have only served to confuse. Health professionals are not being trained in the skills of diagnosis and treatment for PAS, and are generally reluctant to investigate when problems arise subsequent to an abortion, offering at best symptomatic treatment. Therapists who are concerned about abortion trauma, not unreasonably fear being attacked or isolated if they speak publicly or professionally of their concerns.
It needs to be stated, although it would seem obvious, that for many women abortion, like miscarriage and stillbirth, is a death experience.
The aborted woman may develop PAS, not simply because of the death of the fetus but because the reality of her responsibility for that death has not allowed her to process the pain she has experienced.
No matter what the stage of fetal gestation, the PAS-prone woman believes that what was destroyed in the abortion was an unborn baby. But rather than make a decision that was consistent with her real feelings and convictions, in her fear and panic, she went into "denial". In this she was usually assisted by those significant others to whom she turned for help.
The cardinal features of PAS are denial and suppression. Typically the abortion is followed (but not always) by years of unrecognised negative reactions, the woman not consciously associating the symptoms with the abortion.
The onset of delayed symptoms is often precipitated by a triggering event, such as an anniversary date, the birth or loss of another child, or some other event associated with children or reproduction. As Professor Ney advises, "...they are usually able to keep up a facade, but easily decompensate with serious physical or psychiatric illnesses in times of crisis."
The severity and incidence of PAS is often related to how well "affirmed" a woman is, eg, women from an emotionally unstable or dysfunctional background are much more likely to suffer severe psychological and emotional trauma. Research has been identifying "high risk" women since the early 1980’s. These include the young [ Campbell, Franco & Jurs (1988). "Abortion in Adolescence" Adolescence , 23 (92), 813-823] , the traumatised, those isolated or dispossessed, those whose coping mechanisms have already been compromised, the sexually abused, those with developmental or psychological limitations, the mentally ill [ Ney P A Wickett (1989). "Mental Health and Abortion." Psychiatric Journal of the University of Ottowa , Vol 14, No 4, 506-516.] and those who abort for health reasons. Rather than screening these vulnerable women out of the abortion solution, or even warning them, their preexisting emotional state or their decision making ability under crisis is being used to explain their poor abortion outcome. Dr Vincent Rue calls this a new type of victim blaming. [ Rue V "The Psychological Realities of Induced Abortion." Post-Abortion Aftermath A collection of writings generated by various experts at a "Post-Abortion Summit Conference" Washington DC, Sept 1993) Edited by M Mannion, published by Sheed & Ward. P 5-43.]
Symptoms of PAS can include frequent weeping, depression, loss of concentration, feelings of guilt, grief, remorse, isolation, alienation, victimisation and hopelessness, self destructive behaviour such as eating disorders, alcohol and/or drug abuse, suicidal ideation, and repeat abortions, extreme or chronic anger, sadness, anxiety attacks, emotional numbness, withdrawn or inappropriate emotional responses, loss of self esteem, sleep disorders, nightmares, sexual dysfunction, relationship problems with spouse, children and/or peers, memory loss, dramatic personality changes, values disorientation, increased tendency towards violence, flashbacks, anniversary reactions and the atonement child - the deliberate pregnancy trying to "make up" for the aborted baby.
Taken from an article by Julie Cook. Julie is a registered nurse who has been working with Women Hurt By Abortion Australia Inc and researching abortion trauma for a number of years.
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Last modified: 31 Jan 1998
