Criminal Law Reform Persuasive Speech

Criminal Law- Script – The Abortion Law reform

Good morning/ afternoon,

Ladies and gentlemen of the Queensland Department of the Justice and Attorney-General, we must make clear changes to s224,225 and 226 of The Criminal Code so as though abortion can be legalised in all circumstances. The current problem with the existing legislation is it is unclear and different judges can interpret it in different ways, therefore resulting in no guarantee that a similar case will have the same result. (Children by Choice, 2016). The current legislation needs to be revisited so as though as there are fairer outcomes for the woman.

The Abortion Law reform (Woman's right to choose) amendment bill was introduced into parliament on the 10 May 2016, for

According to The Woman’s Right to Choose bill sections 224, 225 and 226 need to be repealed so as though as it can be written in a way in which every judge interprets it the same way and there is no room for miss interpretation. S226 states that any person that is aware of supplies anything that is known to be used to procure the miscarriage of the woman, is guilty of the misdemeanour. S225 states that any woman that is the cause of her own abortion whether it is a poisonous substance or any form of force is liable for 7 years imprisonment. And s224 states that anybody who deliberately tries to cause the miscarriage of a woman, by administering or causing her to take positions, toxic substances or uses any force is considered guilty of the crime and is liable to imprisonment. The wording in s224,225 and 226 suggests that some form of conduct resulting in a woman’s abortion will be considered lawful

Many women feel as if the current law is a violation of their human rights and disadvantages many young women (dr Carol Portman, 2017). Have you ever thought about the woman seeking abortion due to Domestic violence or sexual assault? And maybe they don’t want to relive what happened to them in court just, so they can file for an abortion. An example of this is Kelly who was 37 years old and a victim of rape fell pregnant due to the sexual assault she asked several GP’s if they would help her and said they couldn’t due to it being a criminal offence as of section 226 the criminal code. She didn’t want to go through the courts as she was traumatised by the event and didn’t want to relive it in front of her husband and 3 children she shortly after found a clinic which would help terminate her pregnancy but she was verbally abused by protestors calling her and her husband “baby killers” Kelly feels as if no woman should ever have to go what she did and be made to feel like a criminal over something that was haunting her” (Jamila,2018). According to the Woman’s Legal service research shows that unplanned or unwanted pregnancy are most common from the woman being in domestic violence situations and the pregnancy is used as a way for the perpetrator to control the situations. In which if the woman goes ahead with the abortion the male