British Marie Stopes International Under Fire for Free Abortions for Staffers
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
August 9, 2010
London, England (LifeNews.com) — It’s unclear whether the health care benefit is attracting more employees, but the British-based abortion business Marie Stopes International is coming under heavy criticism for offering free abortions to the staffers that work at its abortion centers.
The free abortions are part of the health benefits package MSI offers to its employees, their spouses or partners, and their children.
"For your dedication, passion and hard work you will be rewarded with our support and benefits – both financial and non-financial," an ANI news report indicates MSI told its employees on its web site. "Team members, their partners and dependants will be able to access MSI’s core services… without charge."
The furor over the free abortions follows on the heels of MSI coming under fire for showing the first television commercials for abortions on Channel 4.
"Never famous for its sensitivity, Marie Stopes recently shared controversial TV advertising time with a selection of beer brands, rival supermarkets, hair products and well-known confectionary bars," the Daily Mail quoted Josephine Quintavalle, of the Pro-Life Alliance, as saying.
"So it is not surprising this crass organization equates free abortions with gym membership as appropriate consumer perks for employees and their families," she said.
Anthony Ozimic, of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, also responded to the news of the free abortions.
"Marie Stopes’ offer of free abortions for staff is sick. Abortion is the killing of unborn children, not a job perk," he said. "Marie Stopes’ macabre offer, and its evasion of advertising restrictions, shows it is a cynical abortion business, not the supportive sexual health service it claims to be."
But Tracey McNeill, MSI’s vice-president for the UK and Western Europe, defended the benefits package .
"What you get as a benefit of working here is access to medical services, not just abortions. It’s because we are a medical services provider that people who work here get access to those services," she said. "It’s not odd. It’s there if you have got a need. It’s a positive thing."
MSI employs 430 people at nine centers across the United Kingdom and does not keep records of how many of its employees or their family members have had abortions.
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