In a communiqué issued on 14 December, the Austrian anti-abortion organization “Aktion Leben” has deplored the decision of the Federal Congress of the Austrian Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) to promote the depenalization of abortion, its free and anonymous provision in all Austrian hospitals and clinics, and the distribution of the abortion pill “Mifegyne”. “The women of the SPÖ are right to condemn an attitude disrespectful of women who experience a situation of pregnancy with conflicting feelings”, says the pres release. “But it is they themselves who show no respect for themselves when they see abortion as the presumed only solution for an unplanned pregnancy”. The general secretary of the organization, Gertraude Steindl, has invited dialogue to seek a solution: “Let us speak about what women need to be able to decide to have their child in spite of the difficulty of their situations. Let us dedicate ourselves together to seeking a more effective prevention of unplanned pregnancies. Prevention cannot be reduced to the mere distribution of contraceptives”, she added. The organization called the depenalization of the interruption of pregnancy an “utterly inadequate means”, which would involve for the unborn child the loss of “any legal protection”. In this regard, “Aktion Leben” has warned of the contempt for life: “Each person has a right to live, even if that person cannot yet defend himself, like the unborn child, or can no longer defend himself, like the invalid. No one can deny to these people the right to life”.
