Abortion pill ad removed from art exhibit in pro-life Malta

An ad offering abortion pills to women in pro-life Malta was removed from an art exhibit, and now, the pro-abortion organization behind it is claiming its artwork is being censored.

Key Takeaways:

• Women on Waves is claiming that the Malta Biennale censored its artwork.

• The artwork in question is a banner stating, "Need Abortion Pills?" Originally, it was agreed that the banner would read, "Do you need a safe abortion?"

• Abortion is illegal in Malta except in cases to save the mother's life or health.

The Details:

On March 10, Women on Waves, a group that connects women with abortion drugs around the world, claimed that its artwork was being censored due to its wording. The art in question consists of banners that ask, "Need Abortion Pills?" with in one in English and one in Maltese. It was titled, "Do you need a safe abortion?"

The banners were removed by the Malta Biennale shortly before the exhibit opened at the Malta Maritime Museum, after the curatorial team saw the banners and realized they did not have the previously agreed-upon wording.

The founder of Women on Waves, Rebecca Gomperts, told Times of Malta that the organization and the Biennale curatorial team had agreed on "Do you need a safe abortion?" for the wording. However, Gomperts claimed this was too large for the banners, so they opted for "Need Abortion PIlls?" instead.

When the curatorial team saw the banners, it requested that they be changed back to the original planned wording, so Women on Waves crossed out the word pills — but this was deemed "not suitable." On March 10, the banners were removed.

“The Biennale curatorial team is now censoring Women on Waves’ artwork about accessing the abortion pill by removing the work today from the exhibition venue at the Malta Maritime Museum at the eleventh hour, with the exhibition scheduled to open tonight,” Women on Waves wrote in a statement.

Gomperts added, "There is nothing uglier than censorship. Abortion with medication is the only safe method available to Maltese women."

She accused the Biennale of "withholding critical health information pertaining to their health" and said the alleged censorship "violates women's right to scientific information and our right to expression and free speech."

Reality Check:

However, the abortion pill is known to cause serious complications, including hemorrhage, incomplete abortion, infection, and sepsis.

Women on Waves sails ships around the world to connect women with abortion and instructs women to visit the Aid Access website (also Gomperts' company) to get abortion pills. When women get abortion pills through Aid Access, they do not receive any exams or follow-up care from a doctor, increasing their risk of complications.

A report was issued this month from the Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC), suggesting that the rate of serious adverse events for the abortion pill is much higher when a woman does not see a doctor. The analysis states that removing the in-person dispensing requirement for the abortion pill puts women at increased risk of serious adverse events — an estimate of 13.50 percentage points higher than for in-person dispensing.

1st Trimester Abortion | The Abortion Pill | What Is Abortion?

The Bottom Line:

Malta protects preborn children from abortion, except when the mother's life is in danger, if her health is at risk, and the baby is not considered viable. A woman who gets an abortion faces up to three years in prison, and anyone assisting her could face four years.

Earlier this month, a woman was found guilty of inducing her own abortion and was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years, allowing her to avoid prison. There are alternative penalties, including community service, conditional discharge, and probation orders.

Prime Minister Robert Abela said, "As long as I am Prime Minister, no woman will be given a prison sentence for this offence. I also do not believe that a suspended prison sentence is the ideal penalty for this crime," adding, "We cannot have a prospective mother lose her life because she does not go for medical help, fearing she will end up behind bars. That is not something I am willing to have on my conscience."