VIOLENCE AGAINST women campaigners in Dundee have spoken out in favour of protecting women’s rights and services against an international backdrop of increasing anti-abortion and anti-women sentiment.
The call comes in the wake of the US Supreme Court decision last week to strike down the landmark Roe v Wade decision, transforming abortion rights in America and allowing individual states to ban the procedure.
It also follows a cross-party summit today (MONDAY) on abortion care in Scotland and the recent introduction of a member's bill at the Scottish Parliament to protect workers and service users at termination clinics here.
Ann Hamilton chair of the Dundee Violence Against Women Partnership said: “Last week’s abhorrent Supreme Court decision to effectively allow mostly male politicians to decide what happens to a woman’s body is the latest and highest profile example of a slow erosion of the rights of women.
“It may seem like America and its divisive politics are a long way away from us, but it is part of a background narrative that emboldens and legitimises those who would do harm to women by taking away our voices and the right to decide for ourselves.
“We need to challenge the kind of thinking which drives this type of behaviour wherever we encounter it and make sure we are heard.
“It is important in this country that we do not allow what is happening elsewhere to bolster anyone who thinks that removing women’s services in whatever form is a good idea.
“That is why the summit and the bill play such an important part in protecting women’s rights and services in Scotland.
“We have been making progress increasing awareness of the issues surrounding violence against women in all its forms, but we must remain vigilant and continue to bring the full glare of scrutiny to bear on people, systems and physical spaces which enable violence against women.”
Media enquiries: Mike Boyle 01382 434196
Dundee City Council
Dundee draws skilled workers from a 60-minute catchment population of 640,000 and has a local population of over 140,000. The availability of a large pool of highly skilled labour is a key feature in the Dundee economy. Flexibility in the labour force is currently more prevalent in Dundee than in Scotland as a whole. All forms of labour market flexibility - part-time, temporary employment, self-employment and shift work - are widely operational within the city. Labour force stability in the city is excellent, enabling companies to plan with confidence. Labour turnover levels are less than 5% and absenteeism averages 2%.
