Destigmatizing abortion event's aim

An event organizedto help destigmatize abortion brought out about 40 people to The Guild in Charlottetown Thursday night.

Eight people read stories of women and their experiences with abortion at the 'Speak-Out' organized by the PEI Abortion Rights Network.

Currently, women have no access to abortion services on P.E.I. With a doctor's referral, the province will pay for hospital abortions performed off-Island, but it won't cover travel expenses or abortions done in private clinics.

Meanwhile, there's no doctor on the Island who will perform abortions.

"There is still a culture of fear and shame around these issues on P.E.I, and for that reason, physicians aren't willing to step up," said Josie Baker, spokeswoman for the P.E.I. Abortion Rights Network

"On the other hand, there is, at the same time, an extreme lack of political will in this area. If they wanted this to happen, they could make it happen."

The speak-out was the second abortion-related event this week. On Tuesday, the University of Prince Edward Island Political Science Society held adebate.