Abortion representation in the media: The UK and the US in comparative perspective - Dissertation Example

? UK Media Representing Abortion Abortion has gained immense social, political and media attention throughout the history. Theprint and visual media has been portraying rightly and faultily performed abortions every day to the wider audience. On the other hand, television has always been representing it in a concealed manner. Avoidance on such a controversial subject can be observed in movies due to ever increased sensitivity demonstrated by pro-life and pro-choice campaigners. Political leaders use abortion to sway the voters for their own political objectives too. The hardly digestible fact is, why television and film media avoids, miss-leads and confuses audience in regard to abortion? Why the truth has not been completely interpreted and why visual and print media do not represent abortion as a part of UK culture like sex and gay relationships? Although, the connotation of media on the society is evident, as the information retrieved from it, was and is to some extent considered authentic without the need of verification by the general public. However, this notion has been discarded by most of the viewers now as they are linked to several communities, which provide them with the realistic facts on the disputable aspects (Burton, 2005). Thus, media has lost its position of being a reliable source of information due to biased representation of realistic facts. After the commencement of abortion law in UK in 1967, the censorship policy was reviewed and hence, many controversial yet factual aspects became a part of media coverage or main themes of the customary programs. However, abortion was and is one subject which has yet not revealed it-self completely. The reason described for it is, if abortion is shown as a rightful choice for the women in all circumstances, there would be a serious decline in birth rate and family values would be battered completely. Along with it, ethical conflict on abortion is irresolvable. Hence, movies, theater, soap series avoids this debatable hence, truthful aspect (Turow, 2011). Sexual revolution has been a part of British society for more than 50 years. With the availability of contraceptives in 1961 and abortion in 1967 as mean to discard unwanted or unplanned pregnancy, sexual habits have been taken less tactlessly by the UK residents. Abortion has been used as a mean of birth control despite of its unethical and immoral nature. 189,931 abortions were performed in 2011, 96% were supported by NHS, 47% abortions were termed as medical abortions (a serious threat to mother or child), 1 % due to abnormality of child and the rest were aborted only due to inconvenience. 90,000 lives were aborted in 2011 due to negligence towards contraceptives and safe-sex strategies. Hence, the general public has adapted irresponsible attitude towards unborn human life and with the aid and legalization of government towards abortion, they tend to discard their pregnancies, which happens due to their own languor and negligent behavior (Wilson, 2013). American television has been depicting and including abortion as an immediate attention gaining ingredient for soap series. However, the protestors have been active ever since the first soap on abortion Maude was aired in 1972. Since there onwards, Degrassi High (1989), Melrose Place (1992), Beverly Hills(1994),Felicity(2000), Dawson's Creek(2000), Sex and the City (2001) Everwood (2003), Six Feet Under (2003), Degrassi: The Next Generation(2004), Desperate Housewives (2009), Friday Night Lights (2010), Mad Men (2010) Grey's Anatomy (2011) and Girls (2012) have been the renowned shows which have levered the controversial topic of abortion. However, in more than half of them the decision for abortion is changed by the leading character and only few of the women have been shown to get along with the decision (Staff, 2012). Simultaneously, these women have been shown either haunted by the fetus phantom, guilt, remorse and regret throughout their lives. The ethical implication has always been presented in a non-verbal manner. These series either end in lead character keeping the child, skipping the abortion details or miscarriage occurs due to unknown natural complexities. However, if a character went through with it willfully due to personal preference, she has been shown as a cynical and instable person, who faces numerous psychological problems in her life later on (Staff, 2012). In comparison, Silk (2011) and Doctors (1999), Eastenders (1985 till date), Coronation Street (1960 till date), Hollyoaks (1995 till present), Archers (1951) have been the few soap series, which have dealt with the subject of abortion (What's on TV, 2013). On the contrary UK media has been trying to portray the realism of it to some extent. Thus, BBC Radio 5 has recently devised a new radio show British Pregnancy Advisory Service, which would be channeled from the abortion clinics to cover the live and real working of the abortion clinics. Abortion clinics in UK have been facing serious opposition. Thus, this program is an effort to dilute the affects of undercover reporters coverage of two doctors agreeing to illegal abortion based on gender-bases and to revive the general public’s trust in them (Burrell, 2012). The controversy on the recent online poll of renowned radio show Archers has gained immense publicity due to the inapt attitude of the producer whilst polling online about the termination of down syndrome child of the lead pregnant character. Hence, the public is still and has been sensitive towards the delicate aspect of abortion in any case (Revoir & Thomas, 2012). Although. Media has been trying to represent it within the limits and maximum possible precaution, but the general public is divided into two groups, who do not want to see this aspect from others perspective. However, news coverage on abortion has shown more truthful facts in blunt manner. The disturbing news of 39 week child being aborted by Sarah Catt became an instantaneous attention gaining phenomena of media coverage. Sarah declined aborting her child and claimed that the boy was born dead at her home. Although, her data gathered from the internet shows the fact that she purchased a drug to induce labor, which acted as poison for the unborn child. The mystery remains intact as Sarah has been non- responsive and insensitive about the issue. Hence, psychiatrists have been describing her action as a result of mental instability and lack of remorse. Catt has faced 8 years penalty and has been evicted due to her actions (BBC News, 2012). In addition to it, the illegal trade of abortion pills available online for just 15 ? has been acting like a backstreet abortion present in the contemporary period. Hence, the trade of this illegal pill is carried out in India, Europe and Britain, where online pharmacies are making it available for all the women, causing a danger to women and life of unborn (Brooke, 2012). Julia Black has documented abortion footage from an abortion clinic, named as My Foetus. The aim of this first ever documentary to be shown on Channel 4, is to present the procedure of abortion to wider audience, who are unaware of its true nature. Every 1 out of 3 women in UK go through the abortion procedure. Hence; it is vital for the audience to become pro-choice and pro-life campaigners, while knowing the truth entailing abortion. Black has also stated that pro-choice campaigners cannot stand alone on women’s choice claims anymore as foetus (life) is destroyed as a result of their choice. Simultaneously, pro-life campaigners need to accumulate more facts rather than only representing their claims through disintegrating and disturbing visuals of abortion, which leaves a pessimistic picture of women eventually (Wilkes, 2004). Thus, Ms Black has shown claims of both sides and views on abortion from both perspectives. The habitants of UK have not yet accepted this vital reality of their society. Hence, the government of UK has received thousands of complains regarding the blatantly shown advertisements of abortion companies on television. According to the complaints these advertisements are encouraging abortions and their influence can cause severe damage to life. As women would tend to skip counseling due to easily available abortion facility and abortion rate would rise; endangering the birth rate and women health in UK. The first ever commercial for Marie Stopes International abortion clinic was aired and received 4,500 complaints. Joanne Hill from pro-life, responded on it with utter disbelieve, the abortion advertisements from hospitals make their service as a product (unaffected to be bought), depicting the unborn as a non-living entity, which could be dealt with in any manner. This insensitivity has been become a soaring issue for media, as the debate is heating; demanding the advertisements to solely consist of pregnancy advise rather than using the term termination for it (Donnelly & Wynne-Jones, 2011). A UK production, Vera Drake created in 2004, exposes the history of abortion in 1950s era before it was legalized by the government. It represents the life of women struggling to get abortion by the back street abortionist and the act was recognized as criminalized and punishable. The movie shows Drake an abortionist depicting the procedure of abortion as quick, painless and simple. In a scene where Drake inserts soapy water through an injection into the uterus, has been the most destructive and obscure message for the audience. The false depiction of abortion procedure can lead to several deaths as the soapy water directly inserted to uterus can cause heart failure. The method shown was a quick and successful way to dispose pregnancy, which is an immensely dangerous message for youth and for other under development countries where abortion is still banned. The abortionist in Vera Drake was shown to provide her services free of cost, but that was the unlikely idea described by Jennifer worth in 1950s as the illegal abortionist flourished due to the cost of termination procedure (Worth, 2005). The recent rapid abortion trend among teenagers is endangering human life and becoming a cause of several psychological, reproductive and sexual problems. Teenagers have been using traumatic procedure of abortion as an alternative to contraceptive methods. Hence, entirely putting a blind eye towards the unprotected sex and its consequences. These young women have had repeated abortions and approximately a UK female teenager has went through seven to eight terminations. The rapid rate of abortion among teenagers, who are not fully psychologically and emotionally mature are jeopardizing human life and above of all human value. In 2010, 189,574 abortions were carried out and among them 64,300 were of women who had abortions before. Although, there was a decline of 4.5% in terminations carried among teenager in 2010, but the repeated abortion rate has turned into a crisis for the government as NHS has spent ?1 million a week on repeated abortion (Hope, 2012). On the other hand, teenage mothers have been highest in UK in comparison to the rest of Europe. Only in 2007, 40,000 conceptions were recorded under the age of 18. The main reason for these births has also been described as the child support money, which consequently puts the burden on the government (Wilpers, 2009). The incessant debate on abortion limit and abortion as ethically right; has never been mutually agreed upon. However, Jeremy Hunt’s comment on reducing the abortion limit up till 12 weeks has stirred a new debate in political and social circles. Health Secretary promoted the reduction due to ever increase in abortion statistics and the endangered health of public; and family values of British Society. The author of the article has emphasized on the process of abortion, for which he has referred to the Christopher Hitch column. The dilemma of abortion is that it ends life no matter how glossily the facts are presented by the pro-choice campaigners. The foetus of 24 weeks cannot be compared to any organ of a women’s body for which she can claim a right and cannot be considered as a blob of protoplasm. It’s a separate vulnerable life depending on another human being to secure its preservation. The author has emphasized on the reduction of abortion limit on the following grounds: 1. Germany, France, Italy and Belgium have a legalized 12 week abortion period. 2. In UK 91 % abortions are taking place in the first 13 weeks. 3. According to YouGov Poll, 49% women support the diminution of abortion maximum in comparison to 24% men. 4. Prominent Women’s Right Advocates have been against abortion for social and personal preferences like Mary Wollstonecraft, Susan B. Anthony, Daphne de Jong and Elizabeth Cady Stanton (Hasan, 2012). Despite of the fact that abortion should have a reduced legal limit or not the alarming rise in abortion rate suggests that not all the abortion performed in UK are due to medical obstructions present either in foetus or the mother. The increased rise in abortion and especially sex- selective abortions show that abortion industry has government support to some extent. As the availability of abortion has been a common phenomena due to exceptional 24 week limit in UK, which has been further exploited by the abortion industry as they have encouraged gender base abortions and have made it accessible all over the Britain (White, 2012). In UK abortion on gender-bases has become an immediate attention captivating issue. Thus, the outcome of this prevailing practice holds endangering results for the society. With the advancement of medicinal technology, currently reproductive procedure is being assisted by interventionist doctors. Hence, responding to the requirements of the parents in making alternations in their unborn child. The prevailing trend of gender-based abortion can result in serious catastrophes like India has been facing. Where, doctors in twentieth century aided women to abort girls due to their low social status in society. Thus, India has a new dilemma now, shortage of women and increased male population, which has imbalanced the society and would continue to impact negatively (Desai, 2012). Journal of medical Ethics has published an article, in which the authors have claimed that the new-born is equivalent to foetus, thus; parents have a right to kill it; if they discover abnormality in the child soon after. They authors have justified their claim by representing the fact that the foetus and new infants; lack subjective qualities of a person, both are dependent and cannot protect or defend for their rights. Thus, they both fall into the category of (no-moral right to life). Foetus and New born infants are equivalent as potential persons, but both do not fit into the category of actual persons. Therefore, authors have termed it after-birth abortion, which supports the argument that abortion should be as justified after the birth as it is acceptable before the birth, with or without medical reasons (Adams, 2012). Celebrities influence wider audience through their actions as they are more replicated than any other person in the society. Hence, they leave a strong influence on their audience and their decisions can adversely and optimistically affect them. Thus, Jamie Macky MTV’s 16 year old start’s confession of choosing abortion out of fear and disgrace, is one of the most common example of abortion performed due to personal preference and portrayed by a prominent celebrity (Pride, 2012). Along with it, print media is also participating in informing women of the consequences of abortions. According to a recent research study pre-mature birth risk increases in women, who have had abortions performed earlier. Thus, abortion can endanger and provoke many health complexities for women and the next born child, which includes pre-eclampsia and low baby birth weight. Hence, the researchers have found that surgical abortions are more damaging than the abortions which happen due to contraceptives. They have also emphasized on the consequences of abortions to be told to the women before hand as most of them have been negligent in this respect (Macrae, 2012). Bibliography: Adams, S. (2012) Killing babies no different from abortion, experts say. The Telegraph, [online] 29 February. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9113394/Killing-babies-no-different-from-abortion-experts-say.html [Accessed: 1/7/2013]. BBC News (2012) Sarah Catt jailed for full-term abortion of baby. BBC, [online] 17 September. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-19621675 [Accessed: 1/7/2013]. Brooke, C. 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