Poland Abortion Scandal Causes Public Outcry: 5 Things To Know

After facing serious backlash from people across Poland, Poland’s national chief of police, Jarosław Szymczyk released a tape of the doctor's emergency call that prompted authorities to step in and help a lady who had reported feeling suicidal after taking abortion drugs.

In late April this year, a woman known as Joanna was brought to the emergency ward of Krakow's Military Hospital due to her deteriorating physical and mental condition. The situation worsened after she contacted her doctor and confessed to having taken abortion pills. In response, the doctor promptly alerted the emergency services to address the urgent medical needs of the patient.

Poland Abortion Scandal: Audio Released Clears Confusion?

Szymczyk presented an audio recording of the call made to the emergency services, with specific segments edited out to protect medical privacy. The recording captured a psychiatrist, the attending doctor, briefing the operator about a distressing situation. The patient had contacted the psychiatrist from her residence, expressing suicidal thoughts after attempting a self-performed procedure.

In a second audio, a police officer can be heard questioning the doctor if the patient "was actually pregnant". The doctor told that she had "ordered some tablets online," even though the answer is redacted.

Police Action Sparks Criticism

Politicians from Poland's centrist and left-wing opposition, who have long accused the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) government of supervising the tightening and brutal implementation of abortion legislation, have loudly decried Joanna's treatment.

"Is this still Poland, or has it already become Gilead?" asked MP Katarzyna Kotula. She further added that "The PiS government's police state is organizing a hunt for women? No justification for oppressing women exists in your twisted ideology, religious fanaticism, or fundamentalist viewpoints."

What Are The Abortion Laws?

In recent years, the topic of abortion has been at the forefront of public debate, primarily triggered by a 2020 ruling from the Constitutional Tribunal. This ruling led to the implementation of a near-total ban on abortion, causing significant controversy and raising various concerns.

Under this ban, abortions are prohibited even in cases of birth defects, which had previously accounted for about 98% of legal terminations. Presently, abortion is only allowed if the pregnancy poses a threat to the mother's life or health or if it results from criminal acts like rape or incest.

Activists have voiced strong objections to these restrictions, asserting that even when a mother's health is endangered, doctors often hesitate to approve abortions due to fear of potential prosecution. Tragically, this reluctance to provide necessary medical interventions has resulted in the loss of several women's lives, a distressing consequence of the restrictive abortion laws.

Suggested Reading: Study Reveals Global Organisations Neglect Female Staff's Wellbeing