‘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.

‘Safe access zones’ around abortion clinics come into effect across England and Wales from today to protect women from harassment