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Social & Moral Issues |
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Social & Moral Issues |
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REQUEST FOR TESTIMONIES AND PRAYER RE MARIE STOPES "SAFE AND PAIN FREE" ABORTIONS Marie Stopes Clinics claim that they perform 2000 abortions per month (24000 per year). This means that they carry out over a third of the officially recorded abortions in South Africa (about 69 000 per year). In their advertising, Marie Stopes claims that their abortions are "safe" and 'pain free". However, while this claim is certainly not true for the aborted baby, it is not true for the mother either. A woman has died in Nelspruit after a Marie Stopes abortion - neither safe nor pain free. We have complained to the Advertising Standards Authority regarding this false advertising, and despite the danger and pain of "legal" abortion our complaints have been dismissed at both Directorate and Tribunal level. We have the opportunity to appeal to the final level, submitting information by 27 February 2004. If we obtain a ruling that Marie Stopes may not advertise their abortions as "safe" or "pain free" this will be a major victory. For our appeal package, we need testimonies from the following people:
The rules of the Advertising Standards Authority allow for the names of those who give testimonies to be kept confidential i.e. they will not allow Marie Stopes or the public access to this information. We too will not disclose the names of those who give testimonies but do not want their names disclosed. Women who have undergone Marie Stopes abortions as well as post-abortion counsellors who receive referrals from a local Marie Stopes clinic may particularly want to keep their names confidential. It would be helpful if those who wish to testify confidentially write their contact details and testimonies on separate sheets of paper. Please sign your testimony and fax it to us by 26 February at 021 685 5884. If the information is particularly sensitive, call Jeanine at 021 689 4481 or 083 491 4413 before you fax. Please prayerfully forward this e-mail to people who can contribute a testimony, with a note encouraging them to do so. Will you please also: 1. Pray that Jeanine, Philip and Darryl will have great wisdom, energy, insight, creativity, joy and peace as they work on the appeal documentation. 2. Pray that the required information will be available and rapidly accessible. 3. Pray that doctors, ex-Marie Stopes workers, women who have undergone abortions at Marie Stopes and post-abortion counsellors will be willing to testify about the danger and pain of abortion. 4. Pray that we will present our case well and receive favour from Mervyn King (chair) and the appeal panel when this matter is considered. Pray that the lies of Marie Stopes will be exposed. 5. Pray that the Lord will use this to open the people of South Africa's eyes to the truth, so that they will not favour abortion, not have abortions themselves, and rightly consider all abortion (including legal abortion) to be dangerous and painful. Thank you for your partnership in this important work.
Jeanine
McGill _______________________________________________ Please read our disclaimer |
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