Health Secretary urged to prevent ‘heinous crimes’ by closing abortion loophole

MPs are urging the Health Secretary to shut down an abortion loophole which could be used to hide child abuse.

In a letter to Wes Streeting, DUP MP Carla Lockhart warned that UK law does not currently require parents of under-16s to be informed by doctors if their child has an abortion. In contrast, European countries such as Spain and Italy demand parental notification.

There have been UK cases of girls as young as thirteen who have undergone abortions in an attempt to cover up rape.

‘Concealed evil’

Referencing the rape gangs scandal, Lockhart said: “Without doubt, the legal status quo also made it far easier for the vile individuals behind these crimes to conceal the evil they have inflicted on these vulnerable girls.

“If there were a legal requirement for parental notification, then it is far more likely questions would have been asked, potentially leading to the discovery of these heinous crimes at an earlier stage.”

Sir Edward Leigh, the Conservative MP for Gainsborough, added that the law should be “revisited urgently to prevent further catastrophes”.

Rape

Last year, a mother who was raped at 15 years old encouraged other victims that abortion is never “your only option”.

In an interview with Students for Life of America, Ayala Isenberg said that despite “four years of being horrifically abused” and being “raped more times than I can count”, she loved her child and believed she was “deserving of life”.

Tragically, Ayala suffered an early miscarriage and never got to meet her daughter, whom she named Rachel, but she is determined to use her experience to help others in her situation.