Aleteia logoAleteia logoAleteia
Tuesday 19 March |
The Solemnity of Saint Joseph
Aleteia logo
Inspiring Stories
separateurCreated with Sketch.

This young woman with Down syndrome wants to change UK laws on abortion of children with disabilities

Heidi Crowter

Heidi Crowter - Living the Dream | Facebook | Fair Use

Aleteia - published on 04/17/20

Laws that allow abortion up to birth of babies with disabilities are discriminatory and wrong, and one young woman has had enough.
Without donors, Aleteia's future is uncertain.
Join our Lenten Campaign 2024.
PLEASE MAKE A DONATION TO ALETEIA

Heidi Crowter, 24, has Down syndrome, and together with Cheryl Bilsborrow, the mother of a 2-year-old boy with the same syndrome, she’s taking the British government to court.

Their goal: to change legislation which allows children with Down syndrome (among other conditions) to be aborted right up until birth.

In a statement to Catholic News Service, she said, “At the moment in the UK, babies can be aborted right up to birth if they are considered to be ‘seriously handicapped.’ They include me in that definition of being seriously handicapped — just because I have an extra chromosome.”

Britain’s 1967 Abortion Act permits abortion up to the 24th week of pregnancy for healthy babies, but puts no limits on abortion of babies with certain disabilities. According to CNS, there are approximately 200,000 abortions in the United Kingdom each year.

Crowter and Bilsborrow are being backed in their efforts by the UK’s Don’t Screen Us Out campaign, CNS reports. The campaign has been working for four years to change the law so that abortions for non-fatal disabilities would be illegal in the third trimester.

Heidi, we wish you the best of luck in your fight! We hope your work will help people to respect and appreciate every human life.


Eléonore Laloux

Read more:
This woman with Down syndrome is running for public office


CHANGING THE WORLD

Read more:
9 People with Down syndrome who are changing the world

Tags:
Down Syndrome
Support Aleteia!

Enjoying your time on Aleteia?

Articles like these are sponsored free for every Catholic through the support of generous readers just like you.

Thanks to their partnership in our mission, we reach more than 20 million unique users per month!

Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting and transformative Catholic news, stories, spirituality, and more.

Support Aleteia with a gift today!

jour1_V2.gif
Daily prayer
And today we celebrate...




Top 10
See More
Newsletter
Get Aleteia delivered to your inbox. Subscribe here.