Ms Y

Ms Y is a woman who unsuccessfully sought to have an abortion in Ireland.[1][2] Her baby was delivered via caesarian section, but there is ongoing controversy over whether the government handled the case appropriately.[3][4]

Case details

On 28 March 2014 a foreign national, with limited English[5][6] arrived in Ireland.[7] She claimed to have been raped in her home country. She discovered she was pregnant on 4 April, when she arrived in Ireland, and she sought an abortion.[8]

On 1 July 2014, she attempted to travel to the UK via ferry, but was arrested upon arrival for illegally entering the UK.[7][9] She said that she felt suicidal, and the two psychiatrists on the panel decreed that she indeed was suicidal. She then went on hunger strike. The HSE obtained a High Court order to hydrate her.[5] The baby was delivered via caesarian section at 25 weeks gestation[3] over the weekend of 2/3 August 2014[10]

This was the first case under Ireland's recently enacted law, the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013.[5]

Reaction

Investigation

The case is being investigated by the HSE.[11][12] A draft version was leaked to the media in September 2014, before Ms Y had been interviewed.

Protests

International media coverage

As well as Irish national media attention (in The Irish Times,[8] the Irish Independent,[16] and the Irish Examiner[17]), the case is being covered by international media, such as Al Jazeera's The Stream,[18] The Guardian[3] and The Sunday Times,[5] The New York Times[19]

Court case

By September 2015, she had been granted refugee status and has begun to sue 11 organisations.[10]

In March 2016, she initiated a court case against the Irish State for "alleged trespass, assault and battery; alleged negligence; and alleged reckless and intentional infliction of emotional harm and suffering."[20][21]

See also

References

  1. ↑ McEnroe, Juno (21 August 2014). "Minister joins calls for public forum on law change after teen rape case". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 2014-08-29.
  2. ↑ Holland, Kitty (2014-09-03). "Government ‘reflecting’ on abortion legislation, says Reilly". The Irish Times.
  3. 1 2 3 Valenti, Jessica (2014-08-18). "A pregnant, suicidal rape victim fought Ireland's new abortion law. The law won". The Guardian. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  4. 1 2 "Protests to call for repeal of 8th amendment". Irish Examiner. 2014-08-20.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Tighe, Mark (2014-08-17). "State ‘denied abortion’ to rape victim". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 2014-08-18.
  6. ↑ Holland, Kitty (4 October 2014). "Timeline of Ms Y case". Irish Times.
  7. 1 2 Holland, Kitty (2014-11-07). "Report on Ms Y case to include journey to Liverpool to seek abortion". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2014-11-07.
  8. 1 2 Holland, Kitty; Mac Cormaic, Ruadhán (2014-08-19). "They said they could not do an abortion. I said, 'You can leave me now to die. I don’t want to live in this world anymore'". The Irish Times.
  9. ↑ Holland, Kitty (2014-11-10). "Ms Y held in UK after failing to obtain abortion here". The Irish Times.
  10. 1 2 Holland, Kitty (19 Sep 2015). "‘Ms Y’ to sue 11 respondents over abortion refusal". The Irish Times. Retrieved 6 Oct 2015.
  11. ↑ "HSE review terms on abortion case being considered by representatives of woman at centre of case". RTÉ. 2014-08-22. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  12. ↑ "HSE publish terms of reference for abortion case review". 2014-08-22.
  13. ↑ McMahon, Aine (2014-08-20). "Thousands at Dublin pro-choice march over Irish abortion laws". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  14. ↑ McGuire, Erin (23 August 2014). "Both sides of abortion debate air views in Dublin demonstrations". The Irish Times.
  15. ↑ "HSE to commence abortion inquiry immediately". 23 August 2014.
  16. ↑ McDonald, Dearbhail; Sheahan, Fionnan (2014-08-16). "Baby delivered as woman refused abortion under law". Irish Independent.
  17. ↑ "HSE to show terms of abortion-case review to woman's representatives before publication".
  18. ↑ "Ireland's abortion debate reignites". The Stream. 2014-08-21. Retrieved 2014-08-23.
  19. ↑ Dalby, Douglas (2014-08-17). "Case in Which Abortion Was Denied Reignites Controversy Over Irish Law". The New York Times.
  20. ↑ "Ms Y, asylum seeker refused an abortion, sues State". Irish Times. 18 March 2016.
  21. ↑ Healy, Tim (18 March 2016). "Ms Y suing the State after being refused abortion when she arrived here as asylum seeker pregnant from alleged rape". Irish Independent.
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