Bloody drama

Forced abortion often burdens women for a long time

Nevertheless, an unwanted positive test should no longer be a reason for joy. Abortion without a doctor is prohibited.

(Bild: nenetus/stock.adobe.com)

The drama surrounding a brutally forced abortion in Linz is shocking. Zoe, a women's counseling center, knows how traumatic the psychological effects of an abortion can be for mothers. Often the partners demand that the baby is never born.

The most important thing is that only the women themselves can decide whether they want to have an abortion or not." Michaela Kaiser, vice-chairwoman of the Zoe pregnancy advice center in Linz, knows from painful experience that there is also a lot of ignorance surrounding this sensitive topic. After a forced abortion in Linz came to light - as reported in the "Krone" newspaper - we wanted to know what the legal situation is like and what questions pregnant women often have.

It's not uncommon for women to come to us who already have two children and don't want a third, either because it's not financially viable or because their life plan is different.

Michaela Kaiser ist Vize-Vorsitzende von Zoe, dem Verein für Schwangerschaftsberatung

Panic attacks and depression
"Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for parents or partners to exert strong pressure to terminate a pregnancy. Women who have such an abortion and do not do so of their own volition often suffer for years, if not decades. The NeuromedCampus repeatedly refers women with panic attacks or depression to us, where it often turns out that they were forced to have an abortion. It's different when they decide to do it themselves," says Kaiser, who provides between 1,400 and 1,700 free consultations per year with her team. Important: The counseling is open-ended and the focus is on providing the best possible support for the women.

There is a separate ethics committee
In principle, abortions may be carried out by doctors in Austria up to the twelfth week after conception as part of the deadline solution. After the three-month period, abortions are only permitted for medical reasons or in the case of very young women. However, a separate ethics committee decides on this.

"We know that there is also abortion tourism to England, Holland and the Czech Republic once the three months are up," says Kaiser.

Up to 40,000 abortions per year
No statistics are kept, but it is estimated that 40,000 babies are aborted nationwide every year.