British lawmakers voted to decriminalize abortion for the pregnant woman – in striking contrast to the crackdown on reproductive rights in the United States.
According to CNN, lawmakers on Tuesday voted by an overwhelming majority to invalidate Victorian-era legislation that makes it possible to prosecute a woman for ending her pregnancy in England and Wales, though medical professionals who help terminate a pregnancy beyond certain limits will still be breaking the law.
Currently, abortion beyond the first 24 weeks of pregnancy is illegal in those two parts of the United Kingdom. Beyond that time limit, it is permitted in certain circumstances, such as when the mother’s life is at risk.
While abortions are common in England and Wales, women who terminate their pregnancy outside of existing restrictions face the threat of criminal investigation, arrest, prosecution and even imprisonment.
Tuesday’s vote – which amends a draft policing and crime law – seeks to remove those threats. The amended bill needs to pass through both chambers of the UK parliament before it can become law.
The vast majority of Britons believe women should have the right to an abortion, according to YouGov surveys stretching back to 2019. The latest poll, conducted in April, showed that 88% of respondents supported that right.
