Women on waves

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Women on Waves (abbreviation: WoW, German: "Women on the waves") is a Dutch non-profit organization that advocates the right to safe abortions by medical professionals. It was founded in 1999 by the doctor Rebecca Gomperts. The organization pursues the goal of providing health support for (unwanted) pregnancies, especially in countries with restricted abortion laws, or of making contraceptives available. The help is provided on a ship that acts as a mobile clinic and takes women who wish to have an abortion into international waters to legally carry out the treatment (under Dutch law). The main focus is on non-operative methods.

to travel

Ireland

Women on Waves made their first voyage to Ireland in 2001 on the Aurora ship . There were two Dutch doctors and a nurse on board.

Poland

WoW sailed to Poland with the Langenort in 2003 . Official surveys by Centrum Badania Opinii Spolecznej showed that the proportion of the population who spoke out in favor of liberalizing the laws on abortion rose from 44% to 56% after visiting WoW.

Portugal

In 2004, the organization's attempt to enter Portuguese waters was blocked by the government. WoW's ship was stopped by a warship.

Spain

In 2008, the Women on Waves ship anchored in Valencia , Spain , where it triggered various reactions. There were demonstrations for and against the organization. The Catholic News Agency reported:

"On October 18, a group of 40 feminists gathered to counter the pro-life protests, which brought out four times as many people. They passed out boxes of matches with the picture of a burning church and the caption, 'The only church that brings light is the one that burns. Join us! '

On October 19, the feminists met again to distribute matches but decided to disband after they were overwhelmed by the large number of pro-life protestors who gathered at the port where the abortion ship was docked ".

When the ship wanted to dock between anti-abortionists and proponents, the coast guard tried to pull it out of the harbor with a rope.

Morocco

In October 2012, the Royal Moroccan Navy initially prevented the abortion ship from entering the port of Smir. However, the activists managed to enter Smir by ship. The port authorities prevented people from leaving the ship with a police presence and then escorted it into international waters.

documentation

The documentary film Vessel (2014) by director Diana Whitten deals with the organization Women on Waves.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Carina Chocano: The "abortion boat" steams toward Ireland . Salon.com. Archived from the original on July 20, 2008. Retrieved February 1, 2008.
  2. ↑ Women on Waves Cleared of Accusations in Poland . In: Wire story . Feminist Daily News. November 6, 2003. Retrieved February 1, 2008.
  3. ↑ Vesselthe film
  4. ↑ Süddeutsche Zeitung : Morocco stops abortion ship from October 6, 2012, accessed on October 7, 2012