Laws that provide Safe Access Zones, also known as abortion buffer zones, in Scotland have come into force today, but what are they?
The new law will ban protests directly outside abortion clinics in Scotland after legislation was put forward by Gillian Mackay MSP.
It means that any demonstrators wishing to protest against a woman’s right to emergency healthcare will have to be a minimum of 200 metres away from wherever the centre is.
It’s hoped that the new legislation will go a long way in preventing anti-abortion protestors from intimidating patients and staff.
Today it was hailed as a “crucial day for reproductive rights” by Ms Mackay – the Green MSP who spearheaded it.
What is the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Bill about?
It aims to create "safe access zones" around all places providing abortion services in Scotland.
The Bill will now see the creation of a 200m distance around these spaces which would ban people from harassing others or trying to influence or prevent patients' access to services.
The size of the zone can be increased or reduced if needed.
It will now be an offence to act in a certain way within a safe access zone. This includes:
- Influencing another person's decision to access abortion services
- Impeding another person from accessing abortion services
- To cause harassment, alarm, or distress to another person in connection to their decision to acces, provide, or facilitate provision of abortion services
Examples of this type of behaviour include holding up signs with anti-abortion messages, physically blocking the entrances to the premises, and protesting.
Anyone who commits an offence will face a fine of up to £10,000, or an unlimited fine in the most serious cases.
Why was the Safe Access Zones Bill introduced?
In recent years, anti-abortion protests took place outside a number of abortion providers in Scotland, with the most prominent at Glasgow Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) and Chalmers clinic in Edinburgh.
This brought the issue further into the public eye, and media scrutiny encouraged debate around the issue, before Gillian Mackay officially put forward the motion to introduce tighter laws.
The Bill is aimed at protecting access to abortion services in Scotland, ensuring people can access the services without intimidation, harassment, and public judgement.
READ MORE: Anti-abortion group starts 40 days of protest outside QEUH
It also aims to ensure patients are protected from attempts to influence or persuade them in relation to their decision to access services.
And the Bill intends to ensure staff are protected from attempts to influence their decision to provide abortion services.
Where is my nearest Safe Access Zone?
The Scottish Government has published a list, showing where each Safe Access Zone in the country is.
Each zone comes with a map showing where the health service can be accessed and a colour coded zone showing the area closest to where any protestors would legally be allowed to demonstrate in relation to the hospital or health centre.
The full list can be found here.
What were the arguments for Buffer Zones?
Campaigners argued that buffer zones were needed to prevent intimidation and harassment when accessing reproductive healthcare services.
Back Off Scotland, the grassroots campaign which has been at the forefront of calls for buffer zones, argued the right to privacy and the right to access essential medical services should be protected.
The group collected testimonies from thousands of women across Scotland who shared their experiences of being harassed outside abortion clinics.
Women had reported being shouted at, called "murderer" and given medical misinformation by anti-abortion protesters.
Back Off Scotland said: "This is not about preventing freedom of speech or silencing either side of a debate. It's about ensuring people’s right to seek medical care, free from intimidation."
What are the arguments against Buffer Zones?
Critics of the plans for buffer zones argue banning protest and vigils would threaten rights to freedom of speech, religion and protest.
Christians said the Bill would be "extreme" and would lead to "criminalising prayer".
In a submission to the Bill's consultation, the Bishops' Conference of Scotland said it would "criminalise people for expressing certain views and occupying certain spaces".
The group agreed obstructing access to facilities should not be permitted, but argued police have sufficient powers to prevent that.
It has also been argued the protests/vigils expose women to "alternative" options to abortion, however, this is already provided by medical experts.
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