{"id":310643,"date":"2024-04-19T14:40:52","date_gmt":"2024-04-19T19:40:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=310643"},"modified":"2024-04-19T15:21:58","modified_gmt":"2024-04-19T20:21:58","slug":"italian-lawmakers-nonprofits-counsel-pregnant-women","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/italian-lawmakers-nonprofits-counsel-pregnant-women\/","title":{"rendered":"Media misleads on Italian lawmakers’ allowance of ‘nonprofits’ to counsel pregnant women"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Italian lawmakers in the lower House have passed an amendment to a new health care package that would clarify the ability of “counseling centres” to allow qualified nonprofits that provide maternity services to partner with the centres to discuss pregnancy options with women, including abortion. However, the way most of the media and even lawmakers are presenting this clarification in the law is highly misleading, stoking anger against pro-life advocates by implying the amendment would allow pro-life advocates to enter abortion facilities<\/em> to speak to women.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lawmakers under <\/span>Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni say that the amendment, which would allow \u201cnonprofit groups with qualified experience in supporting maternity\u201d to counsel women, doesn\u2019t change the current law but instead clarifies it. Meloni has reportedly slammed the misrepresentation of the amendment and was quoted by Reuters as saying, “Normally when one is ignorant about a subject one should at least have the good sense not to lecture.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Reuters, at least, provided a small piece of honesty (albeit at the very end of its article on the matter), stating: “Family clinics<\/strong>, which are part of the national health service, offer women sexual health, pregnancy and maternity support and services<\/strong>, including medical consultations and prescriptions.\u00a0What the amendment prescribes is already a reality<\/strong> in some Italian regions, where local right-wing administrations have offered funding to anti-abortion associations and allowed them to operate in family clinics<\/strong>.” (emphasis added)<\/p>\n

In other words, these are national health service facilities<\/em> which provide services of all kinds to pregnant women; they are not private abortion businesses<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was already included in the letter of the law, which we haven\u2019t touched,\u201d <\/span>said<\/span><\/a> Raffaele Nevi, a lawmaker in the prime minister\u2019s coalition. \u201cThat\u2019s the whole reason it got so easily approved: It changes nothing. \u2026 It\u2019s just about applying it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani <\/span>said<\/span><\/a> the measure would allow for “freedom of conscience,” stating, \u201cWe must not criminalize those who are against abortion. We have always allowed freedom of conscience on issues of this kind. I believe it is right for everyone to behave according to their own beliefs and conscience.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Reportedly, most OBGYNs in the country choose not to commit abortions<\/a>, even thought it is legal in the first 90 days and then beyond if the life of the mother is considered to be at risk or the baby has abnormalities that put the mother’s psychological or physical health at risk.<\/p>\n

READ: Italy experiences pushback as it moves to curb overseas surrogacy<\/em><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Dr. Calum Miller spoke out on Twitter\/X to point out, in particular, the UK Guardian’s dishonest spin on the amendment:<\/p>\n

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Some of you may have seen this headline in the UK's premier fake news rag The Guardian:<\/p>\n

"Italy passes measures to allow anti-abortion activists to enter abortion clinics"<\/p>\n

So what's the real story behind this? \ud83e\uddf5 1\/13https:\/\/t.co\/yAMZqHCyVR<\/a><\/p>\n

— Dr. Calum Miller (@DrCalumMiller) April 19, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n