A new ad campaign by the Youth Defence organization, an anti-abortion group in Ireland, urging mothers not to opt for abortion has stirred up controversy not only within Dublin city, but around the country.
A new series of print ads that have been hung around Dublin city proclaim “Abortion tears her life apart. There is always another option,” with ‘always’ underlined for emphasis. On the ads is either a picture of a seemingly distraught woman or a picture of a fetus.
Broadsheet reported on Wednesday from one reader who was particularly disgruntled. Said the reader: “By telling women that there is “always” (emphasised) a better option, and that abortion “tears” a woman’s life apart, this advertisement encourages and condones “dangerous behaviour or unsafe practices” as it discourages women from having an abortion in ANY circumstances, even when their lives are medically threatened as a result of the pregnancy.”
Many of those who were angered by the new ad campaign took to social media to air their frustrations. Youth Defence’s Facebook page saw a flurry of activity following the reveal of the new ads around Dublin - some in favor, some not.
Thursday morning it was revealed that some have gone further than just speaking out against the ad campaign. Broadsheet reported that some have taken to ripping the ads down during the night.
On Thursday, Broadsheet posted a reader-submitted comment that said “On the shortest night of 2012 some people got together for some direct action against the appalling Youth Defence posters that have been plastered all over Dublin city center.” Accompanied with the post was a video of the ad being splattered with paint and ripped down.
Some are now calling for the ads to be removed altogether as they are “disingenuous” and “misleading,” and hold potential for widespread “offense.”
In one opinionated blog post Beaut.ie, a writer named Kitty posted “These posters and the people behind them are labouring under the delusion that they’re helping and protecting women, when really all they’re doing is trying to bully and shame them, us, into falling into step with their own beliefs.”
While many are angered by the new ad campaign, there are those who support it as well. Youth Defence’s Facebook page features comments and ‘likes’ in praise of the new billboards.
The HuffingtonPost UK reports that Niamh Uí Bhriain of the Life Institute, who are co-sponsoring the nationwide campaign with Youth Defence, said the posters were inspired by a woman who had had an abortion.
"She told me that she felt her life was torn apart by the abortion, and that her baby's life was torn apart as well. I thought it was a powerful description of the reality of abortion, which is all too often glossed over in the debate on the issue.
"The truth is that abortion kills babies and harms women, and we're using this campaign to put that reality back into the debate," she added.
Youth Defence writes in their mission statement that their aims are to “inform thousands of young women of the wonder of the developing baby in the womb and the horror of abortion; save many women from being physically or psychologically destroyed by abortion; offer comfort, and direct towards counselling, those women who are suffering as a result of abortion; and produce literature dealing with the need to protect mothers from abortion and telling of women hurt by abortion.”
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.KatieMurphy | Jun 25, 2012, 02:28 PM EDT
RE abortion and abortion rights. I bet the church would have a different angle on abortion, if the priests and hierarchy had to go through childbirth I'm not talking so much about the pain and struggle as the church's continuing multiple assaults on women -eg birth control Why - because in the church, women arent 2nd class, they are 3rd class citizens. Its all about control and is so similar to how the MUslims treat their women - baby factories and kitchen slaves. And believe it or not, but I saw something wome months ago that in Saudi land women will be able to vote in local elections starting in 2015. While I bet if it seemed like a possibility, the church would be trying to do with women what it tries to with gay people - taking away their rights that they had to fight so strongly for, even simple civil unions. I wonder the churches reaction in the past over womens suffrage?
eiriamach | Jun 24, 2012, 06:45 PM EDT
jacersagain, when you've used the coercive power of law to rip that woman's free will from her-- freedom of will, without which she is less than human--have you not torn her soul apart? And have you not established your own tyranny over her? How will you live with your guilt, knowing that you have treated a fellow human being the way we behave toward inanimate objects? How do you look in a mirror when you know that the face of a tyrant who has stripped a human soul of its most priceless possession-- free will--looks back at you? IF you manage to live with such arrogance, you do so only by blunting your conscience to the point that you will tolerate ever worse abuses of women. Fairy tales about souls "uniquely created by this God at the moment of our conception" cannot stand up to the truth that more than half the human eggs fertilized after sex never implant in wombs, and that nature aborts many that do implant (miscarriage), and that some of the defective fertilized ova that do not spontaneously abort are doomed to develop into hopelessly impaired infants whose fate is to lie in blindness and pain, screaming in a hospital crib until they die of starvation. How do such decisions--yes, remember, YOU have outlawed the woman's decision to abort by YOUR DECISION to coerce her to give birth--stack up to the fifth commandment, the one that tells us to prevent human suffering, not to cause it? How would you tell the 9-year old Brazilian girl pregnant by rape that she must endure a horrific death because nature has not readied her body to give birth, only to be raped and become pregnant? Let's hear how you'd deal with the consequences of your tyranny!
WoundedKnee | Jun 24, 2012, 05:49 PM EDT
Scivner; Looks like your last line was censored! But I get it--it was a good one, and very apt! But before we start condemning Irish anti-life people, we should not forget that here in the US there are places where an abortion can be carried out at eight or nine months. Roe V Wade permits it.
Scrivner | Jun 24, 2012, 05:38 PM EDT
Cieradexy, you say,"There is more stigma attached to giving your baby up for adoption than there is having an abortion up to 12 weeks when no one knows your pregnant anyway"...this is the sign of a very sick society. Why stop at 12 weeks? How about 16 years post partum, that's when you really get fed up and would appreciate calling the health ministry to come and complete the "procedure." I regularly pray for my birth mom who gave me up for adoption when I was still an infant rather than pay a medical person tear my body apart with surgical instruments, to be flushed down a drain. I am a bastard, by accident of birth, but you, my dear ciaaradexy, are a self-made person.
ciaradexy | Jun 24, 2012, 04:52 PM EDT
Jacers, YOU might believe in all that 'soul' stuff but many dont. I also know several women who have had abortions. None of them regret it. They regret getting pregnant, one was pregnant via being raped and she blamed herself for the rape. Women own their wombs and should never be forced into giving life support to something they dont want. You wouldnt be forced to give your kidney to someone you didnt want to have it even if it meant they'd die so why should a woman be forced to carry a pregnancy she doesnt want?
Portia777 | Jun 24, 2012, 10:43 AM EDT
still in the dark ages with patriarchs trying to control women and their wombs. In sacred texts women are mere breeders with no souls.
Gearoid4 | Jun 24, 2012, 10:35 AM EDT
It seems that the usual liberal suspects are raising a hue and cry about an advertisement that is both truthful and hard-hitting and is something that they would rather avert their eyes to. The appalling effects of abortions cannot be stated too often as it is covered up by euphemistic language by the apologists for this abomination. Too often words are used to hide the grisly destruction of nascent life in the womb and it's continuous psychological effects on women who go through with it.
Portia777 | Jun 24, 2012, 10:35 AM EDT
jacersagain | That soul, like mine and yours, belongs to God and will return to God upon our deaths." Really. And who exactly are we but sparks of the God/Goddess creator. Our souls belong to us alone. If you believe souls belong to some god, then you have played right into the Roman church scam and given them your soul- for a price of course- they can then use your soul food to feed off because it has none.
Gearoid4 | Jun 24, 2012, 10:34 AM EDT
It seems that the usual liberal suspects are raising a hue and cry about an advertisement that is both truthful and hard-hitting and is something that they would rather avert their eyes to. The appalling effects of abortions cannot be stated too often as it is covered up by euphemistic language by the apologists for this abomination. Too often words are used to hide the grisly destruction of nascent life in the womb and it's continuous psychological effects of it on women who go through with it.
jacersagain | Jun 24, 2012, 12:15 AM EDT
Oops! I forgot to add that some human being, a saintly woman with soul, blessed with conversation with God, revealed to us mortal beings that every soul, of believers and of none, always gets to see the Glory of the Entity that is called God on the so-called Judgement Day (that probably means the day of our deaths). According to her, one’s eternal soul, like mine and yours, of believers and of non-believers, without the permission of our dead human bodies forever still in some grave, will always be called home to our soul-Creator and that it gets to see the glory of God that Moses and Abraham nearly saw and but only heard, whether you believe or not, since our souls were uniquely created by this God at the moment of our conception. It’s when your soul (not you in the mirror, with your smiling face, confident in your fake ability before God and best clothes on) sees the Glory of God that, if you are sinful in life (breaking the First Commandment of the Christ), or reject or disparage a belief in God, the Christ's daddy, without asking for God’s forgiveness for the wrongs and failures that all we’ve done, that your soul, and your soul alone, shirks away forever in its own shame from the Glory of God and lives a soulful eternity without seeing that beautiful Glory ever again. That’s really what Hell is, so she said. I can imagine the painful screams of distress of never ever seeing the Glory of God ever again. Can you? Take care of your soul. It is, after all, your God-given gift and yours alone to be recalled to the presence of God, your Creator.
jacersagain | Jun 23, 2012, 09:36 PM EDT
Not many people realise that the very reason for the Catholic Church’s stance against abortion is because it holds that when a baby is conceived, a spiritual soul is also being created by God. That soul, like mine and yours, belongs to God and will return to God upon our deaths. Deliberate destruction of a foetus also deliberately destroys the soul created by God at the moment of conception. Who are we to kill off a soul created by God within human beings? Not one of us alive wants to be the victim of a murder, yet some people think it is ok to murder an innocent human creation and destroy its God-given soul. I know of women who were raped but continued their pregnancy to fruition before giving the baby up for adoption. They tell me they sleep more soundly knowing the baby is loved and being reared as a true full human being. I also know some women who did go for abortion; they have a hollow look in their eyes whenever abortion is mentioned. I never ask them more because of that desert experience with the Swedish lady. There are many stories of people alive today giving love and care to their own children who are glad that their mothers didn’t abort them though they were once tempted to.
jacersagain | Jun 23, 2012, 09:28 PM EDT
While I don’t agree with Youth Defence’s methods, I can see their point. Let me tell you a little story. I was on a night-time camp-out in the deserts of Saudi Arabia with an international bunch of people during the time of the Irish Referendum campaign re abortion in the 1980’s. A mature Swedish woman, 42 yrs old, was in our company around the camp-fire. We were quietly, as one does around a flickering camp-fire, debating the referendum which hadn’t taken place yet, with a lot ‘for’ and ‘against’ discussion, and she was listening in. Eventually she wailingly spoke up and said “Oh, please! You Irish people, please tell your people back home NOT to vote to allow abortion!” With her unusual Swedish accent, we perked up. “I had two abortions” she said. “The first I didn’t care a bit about it. As soon as I knew I was pregnant, I had it done. It was just a procedure, like having a boil on your neck removed. But the second one was late in being done and when they pulled the baby out I heard it cry once and then I heard its last moan of breath. I knew then that I had killed it.” With that she broke into uncontrollable tears, many of us vainly trying to comfort her in her crying distress. I used to think that women had a right to choose even if I disagreed with abortion, which I always did and still do. Now I would encourage every woman never to have an abortion or spend the rest of their lives with the horror of that Swedish woman’s life enduring experience. Even if the cause of the pregnancy was rape. Sorry, but I have to affirm that and I’ll tell you why in my next post.
sirpeter | Jun 23, 2012, 07:33 PM EDT
Cheers Redbranch.Nice of you to respond so positively to just a personnel opinion.
ciaradexy | Jun 23, 2012, 06:16 PM EDT
Its women who have had abortions who are also taking offense to these posters. The phrase 'Abortion tears her life apart' simply isnt true or women wouldnt have abortions.
RedBranch | Jun 23, 2012, 05:43 PM EDT
Thanks for that sirpeter. You have set the bar for compassionate punishment.
ciaradexy | Jun 23, 2012, 05:35 PM EDT
Mairint, the worst thing a women can do, is tell another woman what she should do with her own body. Righton, why should a woman remain pregnant when she doesnt want to be? There is more stigma attached to giving your baby up for adoption than there is having an abortion up to 12 weeks when no one knows your pregnant anyway. Women who give their babies away are seen as subhuman however if I decide to have an abortion, you'll never know and it will never be your business.
ciaradexy | Jun 23, 2012, 05:31 PM EDT
Youth Defense are full of sh*t! Their 'defense'of the young ends when theyre born. There are 5000 kids in care in Ireland and I can assure you, people would be much better off providing these 5000 kids with loving homes rather than worrying about whats going on in other womens wombs. Women will have abortions regardless of what anyone else things. My womb, my choice. No one else gets a say. I will not act as life support for 9 months against my will.
CitizenWhy | Jun 23, 2012, 01:22 PM EDT
There is not always an alternative. A fetus is not a baby, it lives in and is totally dependent on a woman's body. And a woman is sovereign over her own body. The great crime is making abortion a substitute for contraception, and those railing against contraception need to wake up to what they are doing.
righton | Jun 23, 2012, 03:05 AM EDT
Controversy over the ads, the billboards, upsetting the viewer? Isn't the thought of abortion, more accurately known as killing a baby, most upsetting? Here's an option. . .If you are pregnant and unhappy, rest, eat properly and find another woman who wants that innocent, sweet child.
SingleDonald | Jun 22, 2012, 10:00 PM EDT
I have always felt that abortion was wrong! A woman should not "choose" whether to kill her unborn child. This child is a separate human being, not HER body! I'm reading a book from the library, "You'll Be Okay", by Edie Kerouac Parker. She was the first wife of Jack Kerouac, a prominent member of the "Beat" Generation. She describes a cruel abortion she chose to have, prior to their marriage, in the early 1940's. Edie was 5 months pregnant, and I was sickened by her description of the procedure. When Jack was informed, he too was sick, as the baby may well have been his. This was, of course, an illegal abortion. It would not have been any more pleasant, had it been legal, back in the World War II Era!
SingleDonald | Jun 22, 2012, 07:55 PM EDT
Seems these people do not realize that abortion was the only form of available birth control in catholic countries for eons. Making abortion legal only saves women's lives, not babies. Legalizing abortion did not make the number of abortions go up. Legalizing reliable birth control helped that, and teaching good sex education to those young enough to not get pregnant. Swallow the koolaid if you must, have far too many children far too early and with men who you will now be forever chained to. Abortion won't go away. And we who can need them will not go back to risking death to save our families and our lives.
sirpeter | Jun 22, 2012, 07:42 PM EDT
"The truth always stirs up controversy these days" Not my post.
sirpeter | Jun 22, 2012, 07:31 PM EDT
RedBranch.They were caught and imprisoned and they were never allowed to kill again.So I guess I'm relieved the state did it's job. Psychopaths do what they do.That is their nature and it's the way their brain is wired.It is tempting to want to inflict pain on killers and psychopaths and even kill them when we capture them.To kill any human being that isn't a threat you have to dehumanize them somewhat first.It's this dehumanization and degradation of human life which is not a threat is why I would be against abortion and the death penalty.The weakness in the pro-abortion argument and that of those who support the death penalty is they have to say that this life is worthless.My conscience tells me no life is completely worthless.And my conscience is my God that has to be obeyed.But I have no problem with killing in self-defense.
sirpeter | Jun 22, 2012, 05:34 PM EDT
The truth always stirs up controversy these days.
pebopeep | Jun 22, 2012, 03:17 PM EDT
I dont see anything offensive obout there posters. I guess the Pro-abortion people who tore em down are Pro-abort/Anti- freedom of speech.
Nicoletta | Jun 22, 2012, 02:19 PM EDT
Kerry O'Shea, your fore fathers would be turning in their graves if they knew their descendants were pushing for abortion in Ireland which btw is how your biased article reads.
Nicoletta | Jun 22, 2012, 02:15 PM EDT
The pro-abort Irish Central strikes again!
RedBranch | Jun 22, 2012, 01:12 PM EDT
Yes sirpeter and what exactly is your position on the late Geoffrey Evans? Did the State do the right thing there...?
sirpeter | Jun 22, 2012, 11:49 AM EDT
Abortion on demand is illegal in Ireland and rightly so in my opinion.Unless the unborn child is a real threat to the mothers life in which case the child will be aborted out of necessity.I can't see any reason to change this law.Abortion on demand and the death penalty for prisoners have got to be the two most unnecessary barbaric acts that I can never seem to justify.There are too many options for them to be a necessity.Of course if there is money to be made or saved we are all expendable.
WoundedKnee | Jun 22, 2012, 11:45 AM EDT
What's Broadsheet? No one I asked had ever heard of it. More dire reporting from Irish Central. An propaganda article based on some web site that no one knows about. Anything to promote the anti-Catholic agenda.
mikehoulihan | Jun 22, 2012, 11:36 AM EDT
More lies and propaganda from Irish Central and Niall O'Dowd. Thank you "awoken32" for setting the record straight.
awoken32 | Jun 22, 2012, 10:46 AM EDT
just popped into this site to see what stories it had,an as usual its poisen yet again,with rubbish stories,straight out marxist left wing looneys writing the stuff,im irish i live in ireland,an i can say the majority of irish are anti abortion,dont beleive the rubbish on this site,its a disgrace,full of lies
Portia777 | Jun 22, 2012, 10:09 AM EDT
"She told me that she felt her life was torn apart by the abortion, and that her baby's life was torn apart as well. I thought it was a powerful description of the reality of abortion, which is all too often glossed over in the debate on the issue" yes, but that is Her experience only. it does not mean that all women are the same and feel the same. For too long women are told how to feel by others. They all need to mind their own business and allow adult women to make decisions. Women are not children as portrayed by men of god. Women are not feeble minded as programmed by men in curls. Long before the Roman empire took over our country, men and women were totally equal and free will was honoured.