Pro-life vandals in clinic attack

From the archive, first published Saturday 17th Sep 2005.

AN ABORTION clinic will open for business as planned, despite a graffiti attack by pro-life vandals. The decision to offer abortions at the clinic in Old Town sparked widespread controversy last month.

Earlier this week spray paint was used to daub an anti-abortion message on the side of the building in Dammas Lane.

A spokeswoman for The British Pregnancy Advice Service ­ which runs the Old Town clinic ­ condemned those responsible.

But she said abortions would still ahead as planned from Monday.

"There will always be a few cranks who are prepared to engage in this kind of activity," she said.

"Whether you agree with abortions or not, defacing buildings is not acceptable.

"Staff noticed the graffiti on Tuesday and it was immediately removed."

The clinic opened last year but until now has only offered pregnancy tests and emergency contraception.

Swindon Primary Care Trust has long campaigned for an abortion centre in the town.

The service means women will be able to have an abortion up to nine weeks into their pregnancy without having to go through surgery.

The procedure can be carried out within 24 hours of a woman contacting the clinic.

It requires a woman to attend the clinic on two occasions to take drugs which trigger an early miscarriage.

Previously, women living in Swindon and the surrounding area had to travel to Bournemouth, London or the West Midlands for an abortion.

The BPAS spokeswoman added: "We are delighted that we will soon be able to offer women a safe and convenient abortion.

"An unwanted pregnancy is a difficult thing to deal with and hard decisions have to be made.

"It is our job to make the whole process as easy as possible for women."

As we reported at the time, some organisations have welcomed the move to offer the abortions, including Swindon's Women's Refuge.

But Ian Donaldson, of the Swindon Pregnancy Crisis Centre, fears women ­ particularly teenagers ­ will go for the easy option.

"Our main concern is that decisions are well thought through," he said.

The clinic, which will be open four days a week, allows women to book abortions without first needing to see their GP.

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