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

? Abortion Representation in the Media UK and USA in Comparative Perspective United Kingdom: The termination of pregnancy orabortion is referred to as the end of prevailing foetus reproduction process, so it would not result in the birth of a child (Bacon, 2005). Abortion needs medical intervention, in spite of miscarriage which ends naturally. Abortion has always been a controversial issue among public; therefore, the government of UK legalized it in 1967 with the commencement of Abortion Act. However, abortion was applicable only after 12 weeks and restricted after 24 weeks, and after the passage of 24 weeks government did not provide any legislation to abort child. The Abortion Act secures the right of women opting for it on the following grounds: 1. Abortion is permissible incase of risk to women’s mental and physical health or permanent injury (12- 24 weeks). 2. In case of child to be born with grave mental and physical deficiency (24 weeks). 3. Only in licensed hospital with the conscience of two doctors for inevitable abortion (12-24 weeks) (Great Britain, 2007). Hence, one can recognize that abortion due to personal choices, social circumstances and family structure was never secured by government of UK. Moreover, there has been a constant debate on abortion among pro-life and pro-choice movements, which has been covered by media. The members of both campaigns regard human life, but the penchant in preferred life; raises the divergence among them. Lately, media is depicting notably anti-choice views on abortions and has shown negligence towards the other side. Thus, the real life experiences of women have been ignored and media coverage of abortion is given on more sentimental and psychological grounds. Though, the media has an obligation to represent conflicts and issues by staying objective and authentic; but less concentration has been given on realistic facts and more emphasizes is on ethical compliance. Print Media has participated in portraying abortion as a reality of twenty first century. However, television and film industry has tabooed abortion as a deplorable and detestable idea, which has never been considered by European Women. For an instance, the media coverage on the tragic death of Savita Halappanavar in Galway University Hospital was published in The Telegraph under the title of “Pregnant woman dies in Ireland after being denied an abortion” on 15th November. The article contains the un-empathic responds of doctors due to Ireland’s restricted abortion laws, which has been described as a cause of Savita’s death (Ward, 2012). However, the same incidence with an entire different story has been published on 7th December, with the tile of “On abortion, on homosexuality and on abuse, the mainstream media has it in for the Catholic Church”. Both the articles contain the information regarding the death of Savita Halappanavar, but the cause of death and hospital’s decision in saving her life has been reported differently. The later emphasizes on the factual causes of Savita’s death in accord to her microbiologist reports. Stanely also emphasized on Ireland’s low death rate of women in childbirth due to restricted life-saving Catholic and State policy (Stanely, 2012). Moreover, he has also signified the liability of media to represent the truth on factual bases. Thus, non judgmental and authentic facts should be conveyed, which would cause less misunderstandings among government, people and different groups. In 2010, first abortion service commercial was on aired on British television. Marie Stope’s management claimed that it provides women with health and sex information, guidance on unplanned pregnancies rather than only encourage abortion option (Taylor, 2010). However, let alone in England and Wales, the statics show that in 2011, 196,082 abortions were taken place. Where, 4,419 women travelled from Ireland due to restricted policy of abortion and the highest figure of abortion 34.9 per 1000, took place in Brent London(Rogers, 2012). Thus, one can ascertain that number of abortions annually have not decreased in UK, but have a low rate in Ireland due to restricted policy of abortion. Only 43 abortions took place in Ireland in the year 2010-11 and 1,007 Irish women had to travel England and to Wales for termination of pregnancy (Craig, 2012). Although, after the commencement of Marie Stope’s Institute in Belfast, abortion is made accessible to Irish women, but under the same restricted law where it can be operate-able in early pregnancy and only due to grave risk to mother’s health (O'neil, 2012). World Health Organisation has provided statistics of abortions globally, which has represented the fact that 28 out of 1000 women go through abortion every year. Thus, the depressing factor is the raise of unsafe and unauthentic abortions outside of authentic clinics, which is endangering women’s life expectancy and jeopardizing their health. Therefore, Government of Britain has decided to increase contraceptive aid to women so to reduce unintended pregnancies (BBC, 2012). On the other hand, an illegal feotus termination by British Doctors due to gender has been an alarming situation for the government. In two clinics, termination of pregnancy was fully approved by clinicians only due to sex of the child. Clinicians did not provide any consultancy on women’s decision to abort pregnancy, neither told them about the illegal act on moral grounds. Increased number of abortions due to gender of the child has led European Union to suggest its member countries including Britain, to refrain the sex information of the child from parents (Newell and Watt, 2012). United States of America: In USA abortion was legalized in 1973 thus, enabling a chain of Planned Parenthood Clinics which helped in minimizing unplanned pregnancies and increased the rate of abortions. Women opted for abortions in twenty first century, but media avoided representing these real women’s perspectives on abortion and their decision towards unplanned pregnancies. Hence, print media moved forward and started publishing their view points in news, Life Magazine and under health sections (Reagan, 2010). Media has always had strong influence on its viewers. The controversial abortion aspect has also been portrayed abundant times as a matter of choice. Yet, only pro-life decisions have been shown, which have deeply impacted pro-choice supporters who want to sustain the right for termination of unplanned pregnancy for others. But do not accept it for them due to media’s sentimental or ethical portrayal of abortions (Brym & Lie, 2007). Thus, the media represents extreme action in (Dexter Show), audacious sentiments in ( Big Boss or Real House Wives of New Jersey) and self-castration in (Little Children) and only shy-away from harsh reality of abortion, so not to depict it as it is present and practiced in the American society (Zeisler, 2008). Bottom of Form In 2011, with the increased number of abortions the birth rate has declined up till 8 % in USA. It’s the lowest birth rate since 1920, where only 64 births were recorded as per 1000 women from the age groups of 15-44. However, in the following article, Kent also ascertained that abortions is not the reason for birth decline, but awareness of contraceptives, social and economical factors and personal preferences have declined the rate of birth in USA( Sepkowitz, 2012). USA Abortion Statistics 1973–2011 Reported abortions 54,559,615 in USA (Minnesota Citizens Concerned For Life, 2012) The surprising fact is that not all the Americans are in the favor of abortion due to the increased awareness on pregnancies and precautions against them. Hence, rate of abortion has remained stabilized since 2007. However, American media’s ignorance towards representing abortion from a real life experience perspective of women and the false depiction of abortion as no-choice; is perplexing. The news of 40 year old American citizen Irene, on 15 pregnancy terminations in 17 years has ignited the pro-life campaigners and has left pro-choice campaigners into an awkward position as to how to support Irene’s abortions in a justified manner and not as a birth reduction option (Mail Foreign Service, 2009). However, abortions have been depicted as an unacceptable social choice in movies like Juno, Knocked up and waitress, which is against the reality of increased rate of abortion in USA and all over Europe. Thus, the movies have oppositely portrayed the prevailing social notion of unintended pregnancies and convey a set of examples which aren’t realistic for the audience. Although, another movie Four Months, Three Weeks and Two Days, showed how difficult it was in the past to obtain abortion, but how the woman chose abortion as a choice and to show control over her life (Freeman, 2008). Surprisingly, 81% men on all the renowned networks and print media dominate and quote on issues such as economics, politics and abortions. Yet, only 12 % women and 7% organisations are quoted on this peculiarly feminine right (abortion). Along with it, men are also vastly quoted like 67 % on issues such as Planned Parenthood, whereas, women represent on it only 26% and organisations the minimal of 7 % (Pesta, 2012). Moreover, Media’s extensive ignorance towards Planned Parenthood sustained income of 51 % through abortion services only; is a suspicious matter. Although, previously Planned Parenthood claimed only 3% of their income comes from abortion services. In USA, annually 40% abortions take place in Planned Parenthood Clinics (Clark, 2012). The reputation of Planned Parenthood on sex preferred abortion has been caught on videos on numerous accounts. Thus, shedding light on how abortion has became a matter of choice in terms of gender preference or situational convenience in USA (Bassett, 2012). References: Bacon, L. (2005). Abortion. North Mankato, Minn, Chrysalis Education. Bassett, L. (2012) Planned Parenthood Sting Caught On Video, Released By Anti-Abortion Activists (VIDEO). Huff Post, 29th May. BBC. (2012) Dangerous abortions 'on the rise', says WHO. BBC News Health, 23rd February. Top of Form Brym, R. J., & Lie, J. (2007). Sociology: your compass for a new world, the brief edition. New York, N.Y., Wadsworth.Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Clark, M. (2012) Media Hides Fact: Planned Parenthood Does 40% of Abortions.LifeNews.com, 5th September . Craig, E. (2012) Is the UK's abortion rate unusual compared to other countries?. [online] Available at: http://fullfact.org/factchecks/uk_abortion_rates_compared-28456 [Accessed: 20 Dec 2012]. Freeman, H. (2008) A choice that films ignore Hollywood heroines who don't consider abortion are of a generation taking its rights for granted. theguardian, 28 January . Top of Form Great Britain. (2007). Scientific developments relating to the Abortion Act 1967 volume 1: report, together with formal minutes. London, Stationery Office. Mail Foreign Service (2009) American 'abortion addict' reveals she terminated 15 pregnancies in 17 years . Mail Online, 14 October. Minnesota Citizens Concerned For Life (2012) Abortion Statistics for the United States. [online] Available at: http://www.mccl.org/us-abortion-stats.html [Accessed: 21 Dec 2012]. Newell, C. and Watt, H. (2012) Abortion investigation: doctors filmed agreeing illegal abortions 'no questions asked'. The Telegraph, 22nd February. Pesta, A. (2012) Men Rule Media Coverage of Women’s News. The Daily Beast, 31st May. Reagan, L. J. (2010). Dangerous pregnancies: mothers, disabilities, and abortion in modern America. Berkeley, University of California Press. Rogers, S. (2012) Abortion statistics for England and Wales: see the latest breakdown. theguardian, 7th October. Sepkowitz, K. (2012) Is Less Sex or More Abortion to Blame for Fall in U.S. Birth Rate?.The Daily Beast, 3rd December. Stanely, T. (2012) On abortion, on homosexuality and on abuse, the mainstream media has it in for the Catholic Church. The Telegraph, 7th December. Taylor, M. (2010) Abortion services to be advertised on UK television for first time. theguardian, 19th May. Ward, V. (2012) Pregnant woman dies in Ireland after being denied an abortion. The Telegraph, 15th November. O'neil , J. (2012) Marie Stopes private abortion clinic to open in Belfast. BBC News Northern Ireland, 11th October. Top of Form Zeisler, A. (2008). Feminism and pop culture. Berkeley, Calif, Seal Press. Bottom of Form 1. Bottom of Form Read More