‘Safe access zones’ around abortion clinics have officially come into place across England and Wales from today (31 October), in a move that will help to protect abortion clinics and the people who access them from experiencing harassment.

The new legislation, which was announced earlier this year, makes it illegal for “anyone to do anything that intentionally or recklessly influences someone’s decision to access or facilitate abortion services, obstructs them from accessing or facilitating services or causes harassment, alarm or distress to any person in connection with a decision to access, provide or facilitate abortion services at an abortion clinic”.

The law will apply within a 150-metre boundary around all clinics and hospitals which offer abortion services, so anti-choice groups will be unable to hand out anti-abortion leaflets or confront service users. 

The introduction of safe access zones comes after years of campaigning by abortion rights groups, including the charity and abortion provider MSI Reproductive Choices.

Speaking about the significance of this moment, Louise McCudden, UK head of external affairs at the charity, said: “After years of fighting for national safe access zones, we are delighted that the government has brought them into force. People seeking an abortion in England and Wales will now be able to access care without harassment and intimidation on the clinic doorsteps.”

She continued: “As a global provider, we are seeing very real rollbacks on reproductive rights, most notably in the United States since the reversal of Roe v Wade. As anti-choice campaigners around the world escalate their tactics, trying to manipulate women with misinformation, this step from the UK government sends a powerful message that they stand with women and girls.”   

The crime and policing minister, Dame Diana Johnson, welcomed the new legislation. “Access to healthcare is a fundamental right,” she said in a statement. “Access to abortion services is a matter of healthcare. I’m confident that the safeguards we have put in place today will have a genuine impact in helping women feel safer and empowered to access the vital services they need.”

As part of the new legislation, police and prosecutors will consider each case individually based on the evidence. This means a wide range of practices could be considered illegal, including shouting at women entering a clinic, silent prayer, holding vigils or any behaviour where someone is “intentionally trying to – or recklessly acting in a way that might – influence a person accessing the service”.  

Anyone found guilty of breaching the new laws will face an unlimited fine, and the Crown Prosecution Service has today published guidance setting out how police and prosecutors should enforce the law.

“Getting this measure up and running as soon as possible has been one of our priorities and I am proud of everyone involved in getting us here,” said Jess Phillips, the safeguarding minister. “The idea that any woman is made to feel unsafe or harassed for accessing health services, including abortion clinics, is sickening. This stops today.” 

Images: Getty