How I found my voice on abortion - Dr Joanna Howe

How I found my voice on abortion

How I found my voice on abortion

By Hannah Newton

I believe that the right to life is the foundation of our society.

I was fortunate to grow up in a Christian home where I was loved, cherished and uplifted. The value that is placed on every individual human life was made clear to me from a very young age, however, it was not until I began to grasp a deep appreciation for life that I started to really become aware of abortion. 

In my early teen years, I began to question what abortion was, what it entailed and why it happened. To my surprise, I found that it was a topic that was actually debated. I couldn’t understand why it was even an issue we were arguing over as a society. To me, at a young age it seemed so black and white – abortion was the killing of an innocent child and so it was wrong. Unfortunately, I started to realise this wasn’t how society viewed this issue. 

My life has been founded and built upon Christian principles, however, that is not my only reason for standing so strongly against abortion. First and foremost, I believe abortion is wrong because it is the taking of an innocent life, a life that can’t stand up for itself and therefore a life that needs to be protected more than most. My faith confirms this belief for me and helps me to push harder knowing that I am fighting for what is right. 

Not a day goes by where I don’t think of the children that could be alive but aren’t because of outrageous and inhumane policies. I decided that I could not get to the end of my life one day without fighting for the voiceless. 

When my sister had her first baby, I developed a new sense of how precious and innocent children are. They are to be protected at all costs. When I held that baby for the first time, I couldn’t imagine another day without her and her precious little smile, and this wasn’t even my child. I felt such a responsibility to protect, uplift and value this child. 

Abortion completely strips children of their right to life. They cannot talk and they cannot fight for themselves, so that is our job. A baby should be safe, especially in its mother’s womb. 

Abortion doesn’t solve any problems, but rather it just creates different ones and, in the process, it kills a completely innocent life. It is not a one-sided decision, it affects multiple parties, one of which does not even get a say. 

I believe we are all called to be a voice for the voiceless and this is why I have chosen to stand up and speak out about abortion.