Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

Dr Peta-Anne Baker (centre), lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Psycholgy and Social Work, accepts her Silver Pen award from Jenni Campbell, managing editor of The Gleaner Company. Looking on is Garfield Grandison, editor-in-chief at The Gleaner Company. The Gleaner's Silver Pen award is presented on a monthly basis. At the end of each month, the best 'Letter of the Day' is chosen and the writer honoured. Baker's letter was titled 'Dangerous stance by anti-abortionists' and was published February 13. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer.

Disappointed with the stance on abortion by an alliance of church and civic groups, Dr Peta-Anne Baker, lecturer at the University of the West Indies penned a letter to The Gleaner earning her the Silver Pen award for the month of February.

The group in February said it would declare war against the government if it moved to legalise abortion-on-demand, noting that act was wrong and women could bring the babies to term and then give them up for adoption, among other things.

In her letter dated February 13 and titled "Dangerous stance by anti-abortionists", Baker said it would be impossible for the Church to look after every unwanted child.

"Despite the churches exemplary record in the creation of social services, I cannot imagine how they would hope to fulfill their offer to take in every unwanted child. Several thousand such children are already in the care of the State. I do not see any great rush to foster or adopt these children," she said.

Baker said the views of women and girls who have been confronted with the abortion reality should be heard during the debate on the controversial issue.

"Women who can afford the services of a private practitioner are pretty much above the law and are, therefore, unaffected by the outcome of this debate. We need to hear from those whose choice is between the public-health system, the back-door operators or 'home remedies'" she said in her letter.

Medical emergency

Currently, the law makes abortion illegal, except in some cases of medical emergency. According to Section 72 of the Offences Against the Person Act, anyone found guilty of having or facilitating an abortion could be sentenced to life in prison, with or without hard labour.

"I think women should be able to terminate pregnancies," Baker, who is a trained social worker told The Gleaner last week, adding that the necessary support services should be made available.

One argument is that if abortion were to be legalised, some women would use it as a method of contraception.

"Give me a break! Do you think a woman would use a method so invasive as a method of contraception?" Baker asked rhetorically.