Systemic criminalisation of abortion persists in England despite decriminalisation laws, disproportionately targeting vulnerable women
Original framing: “Vulnerable women in England still being arrested over suspected illegal abortions” — The Guardian - World
Cross-culturally, abortion is often managed through community-based systems rather than punitive laws. In countries like Nepal and Mexico, grassroots movements have successfully decriminalised abortion by centring Indigenous and feminist perspectives. These models offer alternatives to the Western legalistic approach, demonstrating how reproductive justice can be achieved through collective care and cultural respect.
The persistence of abortion arrests in England despite decriminalisation laws reveals a systemic failure to align legal reforms with policing practices and cultural attitudes.
This issue is rooted in historical patterns of state control over women's bodies, exacerbated by institutional resistance and the criminalisation of marginalised groups. Cross-culturally, Indigenous and Global South perspectives offer alternative frameworks that prioritise community care over punitive measures. Scientific evidence underscores the ineffectiveness of criminalisation, while artistic and spiritual traditions challenge its moral foundations. Future modelling suggests that holistic reforms—combining legal, healthcare, and educational interventions—are necessary to achieve reproductive justice. Centring marginalised voices and learning from global examples could pave the way for equitable solutions, ensuring that decriminalisation translates into meaningful systemic change.