Defending the right to abortion in Italy

Report of demonstration in Genoa

On Saturday 23 February 2008 in Genoa, like in the rest of Italy, there was a demonstration in defence of Italy's abortion law (Law 194), currently under attack from institutions corrupted by the Catholic Church.

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Defending the right to abortion in Italy

On Saturday 23 February 2008 in Genoa, like in the rest of Italy, there was a demonstration in defence of Italy's abortion law (Law 194), currently under attack from institutions corrupted by the Catholic Church. The FdCA's "Nino Malara" Branch from Genoa participated in the demonstration together with about 3,000 people. There was a strong male presence and the average age of demonstrators was over 40. Sadly, very few young people were present.

Recent attacks on the abortion law should be food for thought and for action on the part of any thinking woman or man. The situation in Genoa is critical: of the city's three major hospitals, one does not carry out abortions and the abortions carried out in the other two hospitalis are the work of only one doctor. This forces women seeking an abortion to go elsewhere in the search for a doctor who does not consider them criminals, unworthy of consideration.

We women MUST be free to make decisions regarding our own bodies. NOBODY can be allowed to take it upon themselves to decide for us, least of all the Catholic Church which has for centuries considered the female body as a mere container.

Since 1978, the year when abortion was legalized, deaths resulting from abortions in Italy have practically disappeared and the number of operations has actually decreased.

How are we expected to put up with this obsession for embryos on the part of hypocrites who have no objections when it comes to wars whose first victims are women and children. Let them speak out against violence, yes, but the real violence that takes many forms - State violence against demonstrators, violence against women, violence against the poorest sectors of the population who are forced to live on miserable pensions with no support. That is real violence, not the sort that we women are accused of carrying out against embryos when we are the ones to suffer when forced into such a painful decision!

We send our thanks to all those male comrades who stand with us in our struggle and who do not take it upon themselves to make judgements on our feelings and our freedom. This is only the beginning of a difficult struggle against anyone who tries to take away our freedom of choice over our bodies, freedom that was only won after years of battles!

A.S.

Federazione dei Comunisti Anarchici
"Nino Malara" Branch, Genoa