News

By John-Henry Westen

WARSAW, June 10, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Polish media is awash with the case of a 14-year old girl who is being pressured into abortion by the country’s most prominent abortion activist, Wanda Nowicka of the Polish branch of Planned Parenthood.

The girl, who appears in the media under the nickname “Agata”, found out she was pregnant by her boyfriend three months ago. However, rather than supporting her, her family directed her to Planned Parenthood to arrange for legal permission for an abortion.

Currently Polish law does not penalize abortion when the pregnancy is a result of crime.  In such cases abortion is permitted till the twelfth week of pregnancy.  Agata’s case was qualified for non-punishable abortion since it involved sexual relations under the age of 15.  She is now 10 or 11 weeks pregnant.

While permission was being secured by Planned Parenthood, the girl complained to a teacher that she did not want to abort her child.  Hospitals in her home town refused to kill her unborn child, saying that the girl seemed to be pressured into the abortion by her mother and abortion activists. A priest friend and some pro-life activists offered support to the girl and all the help necessary to carry the baby to term.

Nevertheless, Agata was brought to a Warsaw hospital that agreed to abort her baby.  There she spoke to a child psychologist who advised doctors to give the girl some more time to think. Despite that, Agata was told to prepare for the procedure the following day.

At that time, the girl gave conflicting testimony. In face to face conversations with friends, she would admit to being pressured into abortion. At other times she said she wanted an abortion.

In the meantime pro-life groups and prayer groups mobilized to save the girl and her baby from tragedy. The hospital received emails from pro-life advocates urging that the girl not be forced to abort.  In addition, one pro-life activist filed an official complaint with the police accusing pro-abortion activist Wanda Nowicka of pressuring the teenager into abortion. Police began an investigation and the media picked up the story.

A court in the girl’s hometown issued an order to place her in the custody of a priest at a juvenile center, where she would not be harassed by abortion advocates. 

Mariusz Dzierzawski of Warsaw-based pro-life Pro Foundation said that the case demonstrated how the sexual revolution takes its toll on the young, causing a chain of tragedy in their lives. “Sex educators encourage kids to get involved in ‘safe sex’. When kids get pregnant as a result, they are offered ‘safe abortion’. This is how they destroy the life of the unborn child and of children who become parents too early,” Dzierzawski said.

Pro-life activist Jacek Sapa commented: “It’s time to break the social taboo and start talking about coerced abortion. Most abortions are forced on women by irresponsible partners, parents or abortion activists. If we are witnessing coercion into abortion, we must act. Sometimes a simple gesture of support and understanding is enough to save a mother and child from the tragedy of abortion.”

Agata is now safe and offers of support are flowing in from all over Poland.  However abortion advocates have not given up their efforts to convince the girl to change her mind and have the abortion. Reportedly, they are arranging for an abortion for the girl outside Poland.

The pro-abortion Polish major daily “Gazeta Wyborcza”, advocated for Planned Parenthood with its coverage claiming that the girl had been raped and wanted an abortion, but was harassed by pro-lifers, who “gave her hell”. The misinformation was picked up by far left politicians from a minor post-communist party who attempted to garner support to legalize abortion.

Pro-life women’s rights activist Inga Kaluzynska said the case also highlights the harm of clauses in Polish abortion law which removes the penalties for abortion in cases of rape. “Why are we assuming that abortion is a solution for a pregnant woman in a crisis situation? Abortion is always against women,” she said.  “A victim of rape deserves our help, support and care, not another trauma. Besides, it is the criminal who should pay for the rape, not the innocent baby and its mother. To allow killing the baby conceived in rape is an act of utmost discrimination based on the person’s parentage,” Kaluzynska concluded.

Polish pro-lifers, especially the priest involved in the case, have come under attack, having received hate mail and death threats.

The case is being seen as the latest example of an scheme often used by pro-abortion activists to have pro-life countries legalize abortion.  The scheme involves seeking out the youngest pregnant girl, preferably a rape victim and using her as a poster child to legalize abortion.  Similar campaigns have been organized by pro-abortion groups in Nicaragua and Colombia. 

  To express your thoughts on the case contact:

Poland Minister of Health
  Ewa Kopacz
  Phone number: (+48 prefix 22) 831 23 24
  Fax: (+48 prefix 22) 634 92 13
  email: [email protected]

Polish Embassy in the USA

The Embassy of The Republic of Poland in Washington D.C.
  2640 16-th Street, N.W.
  Washington DC 20009
  phone: (202) 234-3800 ext. 2140
  Email: [email protected]

  Polish embassy in Canada

Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Canada
  443 Daly Avenue
  Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6H3
  Tel. (613) 789-0468
  Fax. (613) 789-1218
  Email: [email protected]  

  Polish Embassy in the UK

Ambasada Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej
  47 Portland Place
  Londyn W1B 1JH
  Tel.: 0 044 870 774 2700
  Fax: 0 044 207 291 35 75 lub 0 044 207 291 35 76
  E-mail: [email protected]