Interventions

This Cunt Bites Back

I produced this screen print design at a workshop for activists. I held it under wraps until the United Nations Committee to End Discrimination and violence against Women (CEDAW) visited Northern Ireland (NI). Alliance for Choice helped facilitate 13 women give personal testimony about lack of access to abortion to the UN Special Rapporteurs during their inquiry on Abortion in Northern Ireland in 2016. The British State and the devolved Assembly in NI had both until 2019, refused to take any action on the grave and systemic human rights breaches evident due to the law forbidding almost all abortions, except to ‘save the life of the mother’ from 1861. I welcomed the Rapporteurs and the women and watched the growing horror of the human rights experts after each brave woman relayed their abuse. Meanwhile, the NI Assembly were working hard at trying to restrict access even further. People had been arrested for taking pills when they couldn’t save up the money to travel to England in time. Our activists homes had been raided and post intercepted. People called us frightened and confused. On the last day of hosting CEDAW, I called a few people I knew would be willing helpers and we set about letting Belfast know we were tired of being abandoned. Belfast were horrified.