Marcy Madzikanda: On buffer zones near Marie Stopes Clinic
I was delighted reading this Article on my commute. It struck a cord with me and prompted me to write one of the articles I had planned to but never got round to starting.
During maternity leave I remember walking past the Marie Stopes clinic in the article on my way to the park and recall feeling outraged that the ‘protesters’ could be so insensitive to women using the service provided at a time they would be most vulnerable.
I felt saddened thinking that nothing had been done about about it and that their behaviour was allowed. In their attempts of thinking for the unborn foetus and causing emotional pain to the women accessing the service. I can understand both sides of the argument though feel harassing women as the access the clinic is cruel.
I wondered if their efforts could not be used elsewhere? For instance I remember a few years ago the ONS stats for termination being exceedingly high in under 18 year olds. There is of course the wider conversation about when to start sex education but given that (I’d like to believe that the ultimate aim of the protests be ‘less terminations’)would it not be a better use of their time campaigning for that and increasing awareness and use of contraceptives to prevent unnecessary termination?
Or perhaps looking into the reasons why there were so many repeat terminations? I can’t expect the decision to terminate is any easy one the first time, doing it more than once, difficult but whose to say or to judge.
Ultimately it’s a woman’s right to choose and I applaud the council for taking steps to implement this. Hoping other councils follow in the same steps.
Marcy Madzikanda 
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