The president of Family Planning, Ignite Danielle, returns to the heated debate around abortion.
Changing the law on abortion in 1978 was a major battle horses of family planning for many years. / Interview with our reporter Audrey Somnard
The modification of the 1978 Act is a constant demand of family planning …
Danielle Ignite: For two years, we demand an extensively modified the law. Our position was such that we have long been reluctant to initiate discussions, because we were afraid of returning back. We said: "We know what we have, but we do not know what will be after." It was cooked with what we had, but planning staff on the ground was no longer agree. We are a place to listen and help women, but once there,they gave an address and it does not saw all these women. Because our role is to help and we could not do. This posed a problem because not to follow up, we can not prevent this from occurring again. Because it is very important to talk with women to know what can be put in place to avoid such situations in future. 
Women were therefore systematically sent abroad?
Yes, in Maastricht, but most often in Rochefort in Belgium, where we have very good contacts. The Belgians have said that the situation was dismal: "You’re the richest country in Europe, and we lost in the Ardennes, we receive the Women of Luxembourg. There is something wrong."
That’s what pushed us to have a little more courage and claim a change in the law and above the law practice of abortion in family planning. This is done in Rochefort, then they are less well equipped than us! And while, under a law which can be interpreted however you want …
This is where you started the campaign "If I want"?
Yes, we claim to have the right to make medical abortions at Planned Parenthood. It wants the right to do surgical abortions in a hospital, always within the law and we want to change the law with an abortion on demand until the twelfth week.
Did you feel that politicians should go in your direction?
With the Minister of Health, was a little advanced. Because before, with the Democratic Party, there was not any way to move forward with the Ministry of Health. Now, Democrats are playing great progressive, but at the time the RFP was to responsibility, we could not move! On the morning after pill, he was not able to deliver without medical indication.
Mars Di Bartolomeo, we still made a big step. Now, the Center hospitaliernous grant approval we can perform at Family Planning of medical abortions. We have adapted by hiring a gynecologist, as provided by law. We respect all protocols and all measures in order to function properly. And if ever there is a problem, a convention we can move towards the Hospital.
What has changed since you can make abortion drug to family planning?
It was found that in 2007 we had 150 people who came to see us and were sent abroad for abortions. We started the abortion drug at the end of February 2009. Until late December, has played 450. We see now the rest of the iceberg, because we do not know the numbers. We spoke of 1,100 abortions per year but in fact we know nothing at all. We do not know who is going abroad or what happens in Luxembourg, because doctors use the code "curettage" when performing an abortion.
Abortion is therefore long been practiced in the Grand Duchy?
Doctors in Thionville told us they sent women to Luxembourg after the legal deadline passed in France. And it reveals a great hypocrisy surrounding the subject. And it is also an argument, because in Planning we get women at the bottom of the social ladder who have no knowledge or means. It is these that we send abroad. While people established themselves, they are doing in Luxembourg, it is always a way for them. These women may, for example go to Switzerland for an abortion "four star" while we get lost women that sends all alone on a train to Rochefort.
It is a social injustice, that is why the minister has listened and talked with the Prime Minister, who is far more progressive than people think. They have already decided to implement fully the possibilities of the law.
Abortion drug at Planned, agreement with the Hospital for surgical abortion, morning after pill, things have already moved …
Yes, the morning-after pill without a prescription, it is a great achievement. We are in discussion with the Minister on repayment of contraception. For if we do not want an abortion, it must also do something upstream. It should be campaigns to promote contraception, because the resident in Luxembourg are not contraceptives. Again, we do not have numbers, but if calculated on the basis of sales of contraceptive pills, it is estimated that 40% of the population of childbearing age use a contraceptive method, which is really very little. We must act on contraception and sex education.
Sex education seems essential. The girls do they represent the bulk of your audience?
In fact, not at all, two thirds of our requests for abortions among women aged between 25 and 34 years, with a median age of 26ans. It is far from the flighty teenager!
In thirty years of fertility of the woman, she must think every day to take a pill. We are not machines, we are not perfect, then we must leave a margin for error. The best contraception and better information can not prevent accidents. At this point, we must be able to offer something to the woman who does not want children. It’s no more complicated than that.
Bill’s justice minister, François Biltgen, does not seem to have made up your mind …
It was expected that position, because discussions of the coalition have indicated that the SVC would not be on the path of liberalization and decriminalization. So with them no surprises. But we must agree with the particulars, because it’s the hypocrisy! Reason psychological, social or physical, there is always something, is really anything!
All because they do not want to lose face vis-a-vis the fundamentalists of their party and movement antichoix who are extremely biased. But it is hypocrisy, because with the information, you can do everything, women are just forced to recount their lives and justify their choice.
I was particularly shocked by the arguments Biltgen because he seemed to think that if we liberalize abortion, women will no longer go to contraceptives and abortion every nine months. But he does not know what he’s talking, abortion is not a nice round ride! It is outrageous to depict women as mindless beings who have no sense of responsibility and morality.
With an indication in more and mandatory consultation contained in the bill, is it not being backwards?
An indication of "social" has been added. It is still not the physician to determine the social status of women and an investigation of a social worker would take far too long, it is therefore ultimately the woman to decide.
They talk about counseling center. For us, we are the only center. But if others have the idea of consultations which stop them? We believe we are the ones who can give an unbiased and objective information for the woman to take a decision knowingly.
Ideally, that you complain?
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