wfn.org | A 6-day Waiting Period for Abortion Could Save 150,000 Lives a Year=

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

in Taiwan

Taiwan Church News 2778 23-29 May 2005

Reported by Gu Hao-jan. Written by David Alexander

¡§Say No to Easy Abortion! Please Give Your Child Another Chance!¡¨ On May
23rd several non-government organizations called on Taiwan¡¦s legislative
branch to hasten passage of a measure that would provide for pre-abortion
counseling and mandate a 6-day waiting period.	The organizations claim
that, since there are currently upwards of 300,000 abortions performed in
Taiwan every year, a waiting period of 6 days might cut that number in half.

The gathered religious, education and social groups joined legislators to
establish the ¡§Grand Alliance for Respect of Life and All People.¡¨ A
press conference following  the visit to the legislature was addressed by
Fr. Louis G. Aldrich SJ, principal of the theological seminary at Catholic
Fu-jen University. He noted Taiwan¡¦s high divorce rate and low regard for
life education. These, he said, produce many problems, especially in the
aftermath of Taiwan¡¦s decision to grant easy access to abortion
services.  The high number of abortions is a serious attack on the health
of women and the life of unborn children.

Fr. Aldrich said that to reduce the abortion problem Taiwan should adopt a
system already in place in Germany and the Netherlands, where a mandatory
waiting period between application for an abortion and the procedure itself
gives women time to reconsider the step they are about to take and its
possible after effects. The result of those days of reflection often
results in a woman deciding not to abort.Rates in those countries have
dropped by up to 60%. He cited research that found 50% of all women
choosing to abort a fetus do so under pressure from others. Of those
surveyed, 83% said that if someone had come alongside them to give
encouragement, they may well have been willing to accept their pregnant
state and proceed to give birth.

Beyond a waiting period alone he called for counseling relating to fetal
life & development and the side effects of abortion on a woman¡¦s uterus.
He feels this is enough reason to ask for the government support and legal
protection inherent in the waiting period.

The alliance notes that Taiwan¡¦s current birth rate is 1.2%. That low
rate, coupled with the disregard for fetal life and women¡¦s health, may
well rob this nation of its future. The alliance has already made its case
before the health bureau in the executive branch of the central government,
and now takes its case to the legislature, whose action, they believe, will
be respected and supported by action agencies.

For more information: Louis G. Aldrich SJ badm1024@mails.fju.edu.tw

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