There is a very sad story in yesterdays Telegraph, a young artist killed herself after an abortion. This story underlines the terrible effect abortion can often have on women. It also shows the poverty of the help that women receive; in this case a phone number.
The inquest at Truro City Hall heard that Miss Beck had split up with her boyfriend, referred to as "Ben" after he "reacted badly" to the pregnancy.
She saw her GP before the termination, but missed an appointment at a hospital in Penzance. She then cancelled, but later turned up to an appointment at a clinic at Royal Cornwall Hospital in Treliske. The counsellor was on holiday so a doctor referred Miss Beck to a pregnancy counselling telephone service eight days before carrying out the abortion when she was eight weeks pregnant, the inquest heard.
The coroner, Dr Emma Carlyon, ordered that the identities of the doctor who performed the abortion and her lead consultant be kept secret.
The inquest heard that Sylvia Beck, the victim's mother, wrote to the hospital after her daughter's death, saying: "I want to know why she was not given the opportunity to see a counsellor.
"She was only going ahead with the abortion because her boyfriend did not want the twins.
"I believe this is what led Emma to take her own life - she could not live with what she had done."
The doctor said: "I discussed Emma's situation with her, and wrote on the form, 'Unsupported, lives alone, ex-partner aware'.
"It is normal practice to give a woman the number for telephone counselling when a counsellor is not available.
"I am satisfied that everything was done to make sure that Emma consented to the operation.
She added: "We have since appointed more counsellors so there is more holiday cover."
Katie Gibbs, Miss Beck's GP, told the hearing: "She was extremely distressed by the abortion procedure, and I didn't think she ever came to terms with it.
"She had a long history of anxiety and depression. Despite my best efforts, she was not willing to see a counsellor after the termination."
Her boss at the clinic, said: "The time that can be given to a woman by a counsellor is limited in a busy hospital.
"I am satisfied everything was done to make sure Emma was consenting to surgery. I don't feel there was any gap in the counselling service.
"There were lots of individuals who would be alert to any doubts. The comments made by Emma's mother are not about a doctor I recognise."
Mrs Beck told the court: "Emma was considered a talented artist, and sold a number of paintings.
"She was pleased when she became pregnant, but Ben reacted badly to the news."
Recording a verdict of suicide, Dr Carlyon said: "It is clear that a termination can have a profound effect on a woman's life.
"But I am reassured by the evidence of the doctors here."
6 comments:
Fr. Tim Finigan in his post drew attention drew attention to the Coroner's words.
Coroners are freer to speak their mind than are judges, and often do.
I know what I would like to have said about the lack of support for this unhappy woman.
How awful. I can only pray that this woman was so mentally disraught as to be considered not in a state of mind to have full consent of the will.
This story sickens me on so many levels. It is a prime object lesson for girls and women:
If he wants to have sex with you, no matter how much he says he loves you, he's not a real man willing to accept real responsibility unless he puts a ring on your finger. He's a boy, and not a mature one at that.
Of all sins one can commit, sexual sins, I think are the most common ones that can lead someone to hell.
And damn western cultural popular mores that "preach" otherwise.
One wonders if "Ben" will wake up, or just "move on" to the next playmate. Because that's all he's capable of.
It's so sad, especially since an all loving, all forgiving God awaited her in the confessional.
The devil is hard at work. Is the Church keeping apace?
A couple of years I was in hospital and in the bed next to mine was a girl who was going to have an abortion. She was distraught, but too scared to stop the procedure. When she returned from theatre she was screaming that the doctor had killed her baby and the only counselling she received was from the patients sharing the ward. She was out of the hospital before my general anaesthetic let me say anything to her. The whole situation was horrific, but then what kind of medical staff can do such a heartless thing and then give counselling?
The friends of mine who had abortions received NO counselling at all. It was left to me and others to pick up the pieces and at times that was a very difficult thing to do.
May God have mercy on this poor mother and may He receive her twins into His loving arms.
And may that poor benighted father re-evaluate his life!!!
When my wife went into hospital in Cambridge over 40 years ago to have twins practically every other bed in the ward was taken by women having abortions. What a world we life in when women are under pressure to kill their offspring. Let us pray that this unfortuate woman did not really know what she was doing when she allowed the killing of her twins and then killed herself. My twins now are married and have seven children between them.
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