Thousands Of Women Go On Strike Across Poland

Women from over 60 cities in Poland decided not to show up to work or class yesterday, to protest the proposed law that would criminalize all abortions. Poland already receives criticism for maintaing some of the most conservative reproductive laws in Europe. However, the new law would criminalize all abortions regardless of trimester, fetal abnormalities, threats to the mother’s health or even cases of rape or incest. Not only that, but the women who receive DIY abortions could face up to five years in prison and any doctors involved would also be liable for prosecution. 

Beyond the obvious reasons why this is problematic, critics of the proposed law speculate that it could affect other aspects of women’s health as well. Doctors might avoid giving routine procedures to pregnant women as they can be accused of facilitating that woman’s future choices, and even miscarriages could put a woman under criminal suspicion. Demonstrators wore black and waved black flags to mourn the loss of their reproductive rights.