THIS IS OUR WORKERS OBJECTIVE little to be done.
tion for the under-l6s.
The high court ruling, in Dee Victoria Cilick s Victoria advice on contraception or should be gIven to any of her daughters without her consent represents an attack on the most basic rights of young women to control own bodies.
The ruling did not simply refer to Gillick's own daughters, Department of Health recommendations and contraception for the welc declared unlawful.
Since the ruling it has been illegal for doctors to on contraception abortion to the under-|05 By making 'advice' illegal ruling also restricts any information, workers, teachers in publications Sex education schools can be delcared illegal. Books on sex education have been removed from some shops since the high court decision.
The Gillick ruling is based on the belief that young people should totally under the control their parents. establishes that idea further in law. Although the decision specifies abortion and contraception in particular, it also refers to all medical treatment.
Not only can people under 16 be prevented 'THERE WILL always be a hard core of silly girls who will get pregnant. They'd be no more able to make contraception work than they can make their brains. Short of physically sterilizing them, there is This is the view of Victoria Gillick, campaigner for greater restrictions on abortion and contracepfrom usire contraception or forced into unwanted pregnancies. bur theoretically other medical treatment can be forced on witheld from them the whim of their parents or legal guardians.
Apart from the right of young people to seek help about abortion and con themselves, allay will simply not ap proach their parents for permission But the ruling will not stop young women getting Victoria Gillick wishes. . It will simply mean more unwanted pregnancies, more backstreet and late abortion and more fear and ig norance. Last , ассогding figures, over 17,000 people under 16 attended family planning clinics in England and Wales, where the ruling now applies The dramatic drop in this figure so far this year using unsafe con• tracention or none at all Many young pregnant women are waiting until they become 16 to seek abortion and some laTC committed suicide since the ruling The Gillick ruling is only the latest attack on right to safe, legal and free contraception and abortion. The National Abortion Camwhich with other =o-choice organisations Tobilised thousands reple against the White Corrie Bills, showed tha: possible Tene DOSS PHILY that De Cle LICAL IOCUS support Of salluls.
for the waraens. sorcad fact: Coordinating Committee Against the Gillick Ruling, Wesley House, Great Queen St London WC2 SAX. 01-405 4801.