Why We Don't Talk About Abortion

Reports about the reversal or restriction of abortion rights (as in the US) also provoke outrage here. Here in Belgium, the societal tone is more pro-choice. Many believe that everyone has the right to make their own choices about an unplanned pregnancy.

And yet. Abortion remains a taboo. Society's pro-choice sentiment is strong, but you rarely, if ever, talk about your own abortion. After all, you could have avoided an unplanned pregnancy, right? And abortion... isn't that more of a concern for teenage girls and women on the fringes of society?

In Belgium, abortion has been legally regulated since 1990. Despite expert advice, the permitted term and the waiting period remain unchanged. Yet, 1 in 5 women will have an abortion during their lifetime. Taboos and stigmas surrounding abortion are often based on ignorance and/or prejudice.

How does silence about abortion perpetuate taboos and myths? And what does that mean…