Dublin woman claims partner threatened to ‘drag her to abortion clinic’
A judge has refused bail to a man whose partner claims he assaulted her and threatened to ‘drag her to abortion clinic’.
The man in his 20s pleaded not guilty at Tallaght District Court to charges of criminal damage and theft. The charges also relate to an alleged domestic incident last Friday.
His pregnant partner claims he tried to coerce her into having an abortion, leaving her in fear for herself and her unborn child. Gardai objected to bail on the grounds that they believed the man may not turn up in court for the next hearing. The woman told the court she’s “living in fear for me and my kids and my unborn child”. She alleges the accused threatened to drag her “by the hair” for the abortion.
Cases involving coercive abortion are increasingly prevalent. Regular readers of Vital Signs will know that we regularly report on new cases where women are pressured into having abortions against their will.
The government’s response has been marked by near silence on the issue, while Oireachtas members like Carol Nolan, Sharon Keogan and Sarah O’Reilly continue to press hard for action to be taken.
As we’ve pointed out before, politicians hiding behind the fear that admitting the truth might shake Ireland’s abortion law is no excuse. This failure to act is placing women and their babies in real danger. It is an issue that demands urgent attention and needs to be dealt with in the new Dáil term that has just started after the lengthy summer recess. | 
