November 12, 2014

Film: Abortion Advocacy at Sea

editor:	Vanessa Ellingham

A new documentary tells the story of Women on Waves, an abortion advocacy group which operates at sea.

Dutch gynecologist Rebecca Gomperts started the project in 2000 with the aim of skirting anti-abortion laws by performing abortions in international waters, allowing her to operate under Dutch law to provide safe abortions while championing women's reproductive rights.

Fueling controversy wherever she sailed her ship - including missions to Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Morocco - Gomperts has refined her team's vision in its 14 years of operation.

Today Women on Waves focuses more on helping women access accurate, useful information about medical (ie. non-surgical) abortion, which is WHO-approved and has allowed women to take their lives back into their own hands irrespective of the legality of surgical abortion where they live.

In recent years Women on Waves has even been invited to countries where abortion is legal - including the US - demonstrating a need for better information channels to go along with the legalisation of abortion.

The film, aptly named Vessel, has been picking up awards at various international film festivals throughout 2014, and now the filmmakers are inviting people to screen the important documentary in their own communities.

Fin out more about the film and hosting a screening on their website.