Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1467738
8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 15 MAY 2022 NEWS Demand for abortion pills doubles since 2020 pandemic CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The previous year, 173 pills were shipped to Malta, with the 12th district having the high- est number of purchases with 34, followed by the 9th district, consisting of Gharhur, Msida, Swatar, San Gwann, Kappara, Swieqi, Madliena and Ta' Xbiex with 28. "The pandemic has most cer- tainly shifted women's options when it comes to abortion. Trav- elling to get an abortion wasn't easy pre-pandemic, with child- care, time off work, and not to mention the cost of the abortion itself. For many women, the cost is insurmountable. The pandem- ic has only worsened this," Prof. Stabile said. In 2020, the UK-based charity Abortion Support Network had raised the alarm about a surge in requests for abortion from Malta during the pandemic. Prof. Stabile highlighted that the data comes from only one provider, Women on Web, and while it is one of the most prom- inent of sources, it was not the only one: Women Help Women, a similar charity, would not re- lease their data. "So, in reality, the number is greater than 632," Prof. Stabile said. "This is the case for all our data – we know that on average, 50 women travel to the UK each year to have an abortion because they release the data. Howev- er, we have no idea how many women travel to other Europe- an countries. Politicians need to wake up and realise that people in their constituencies are hav- ing abortions." Prof. Stabile also pointed out that over the last five years, 30 abortion pills were shipped to Gozo. "This is not an insignif- icant number, and it's not even the lowest number. So, despite the argument that Gozo 'is con- servative', there are still people who are seeking abortions," she said. Abortion is illegal in Malta even if pregnancy threatens a woman's life or wellbeing. This state of affairs makes Malta a jurisdiction with the strictest District 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Total 1 8 7 5 12 13 48 2 3 2 6 10 17 38 3 5 5 4 6 27 47 4 5 2 4 5 10 26 5 9 1 4 7 10 31 6 5 6 4 8 28 51 7 0 1 2 5 3 11 8 8 4 6 14 19 51 9 5 9 2 28 26 70 10 13 7 15 25 34 94 11 4 3 7 13 18 45 12 9 1 18 34 30 92 13 2 2 8 6 13 31 Total 76 50 85 173 248 632 "50 women travel to the UK each year to have an abortion... we have no idea how many women travel to other European countries. Politicians need to wake up and realise that people in their constituencies are having abortions"