senseless death of irish woman exposes grim reality for women

[niyad]

Senseless Death of Irish Woman Exposes Grim Reality for Women
by Jennifer Hough



. . . . . .

Savita was reportedly told by doctors that they could not carry out the termination until the fetal heart had stopped because “this is a Catholic country.” This sound bite has been beamed around the world, and it’s a good one, but it doesn’t ring true.
.. . .

Really, there’s a very simple reason why Savita died. It’s because she wasn’t listened to. She knew how sick she was, and begged doctors to remove the unviable fetus. They didn’t listen to her clearly expressed wishes, didn’t respect, what in hindsight, was her plea for life.
. . .

So, the doctors could have acted. They chose not to, they didn’t listen, instead carrying on their paternalistic pursuit of what they believed was best, or perhaps so as not to put their own necks on the line. This is not a new narrative, and it’s why Savita’s story should transcend the emotive abortion debate and stand as an acknowledgment of all the women who regularly are not listened to when it comes to decisions about their own bodies. Every
day women are not treated, consulted, or taken seriously. Young girls are forced into marriages, to have babies they don’t want; women die due to a lack of basic health care.

. . . .


What’s really becoming clear in this modern age is that women are sick and tired of the power that legislators, lobby groups, religious zealots, and indeed the culture of medical paternalism, exercise over their bodies.

. . . .

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/11/18-2

[teddy51]

1. My blame would go to useless Religious belief. Ireland has a catholic religion, and thus have

archaic laws that govern the taking of life, no matter what!

This shit needs to change, world wide in the best interest of life.

Many Countries (or in the case of the US in particular) don't mind taking life in the case of Capital punishment, so why on earth would they think that abortion (or a women's right to choose) would be anymore offensive?

[AndyTiedye]

2. They Value the life of the Fetus Infinitely More than the life of its Mother

That is, and always has been, the official Catholic dogma.

[niyad]

3. the church's view of women, and the stand on contraception, were amoung the reasons I left, a

decision that has, alas, been confirmed over and over again these many years.