Wet abortus is zorg

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I am in support of this bill because it is as simple as that - abortion is healthcare.
I grew up in a country where abortion was illegal until 2018. It was something shameful, that was hidden and that nobody spoke about. This did not stop abortions from happening, it only stopped SAFE abortions from happening, and it stopped women from getting care, compassion and patience at a time when they so needed it. Instead of having a safe and legal option to terminate a pregnancy, women risked their lives with dangerous illegal procedures and abortion pills bought online, or if they were on the more privileged end of the scale they travelled to seek help elsewhere.

Now my home is the Netherlands, and I recently found myself in a situation where I unfortunately needed to seek an abortion. I was already feeling a lot of stress, sadness and shame around the situation and all I could be thankful for was that externally the process was simple. All I had to do to get to my appointment was get into a car, I was at home in my own bed later that day, and I knew I could easily call back to that clinic if I had any concerns. Nobody made me feel like what I was doing was wrong, the staff at the clinic treated me with compassion, I knew it was safe, and the whole ordeal was made that little bit easier because of that.

I love the Netherlands and am so proud of so much that this country offers and stands for. I would hate to see it take a step backwards with women's healthcare and bodily autonomy. That's why it is so important to de-criminalise abortion to ensure that this does not happen.