Alina’s Story

 In Testimony

Some people say that we shouldn’t be there because women have already made their choice. I think we all made our choice when we walked into the clinic. I made my choice to have an abortion because I didn’t have another solution. So I made my choice, but once I walked through that gate, there was a woman there saying, ‘we can offer you help.’ Then I felt that I did have a choice. I can  choose, yes or no. I chose not to go ahead with the abortion because I did have another option   I was given another option by the woman at the gate.

Once I decided to have the abortion I looked on the Marie Stopes website and it was written that they  give you counselling and help to make the right decision. I called them and said, ‘can I have some help?’ They said, ‘the only thing we offer is just abortion, nothing else.’

I walked in as well, I had made my decision. They offer me just a leaflet, nothing else. I look at the leaflet, I turn around and I ask ‘what is with this leaflet?’ And then she told me, we can offer you help if you want to.

I walked into the Marie Stopes clinic and a woman standing outside offered me a leaflet. I asked what it was and she said she could offer help if I wanted it. All they did was offer me a leaflet.

I myself have been at the Vigil since then, praying there and handing the women leaflets. There’s no harassment going on. I have been myself there, with my little girl when she was 2 years old. It’s not harassment.

We are just 3 people holding a rosary and my daughter was playing. There’s nothing shocking or graphic on the leaflets.  My daughter saw the picture of the developing baby on the leaflet  and she said ‘Mummy look it’s a baby’, then she kneeled down and kissed the picture., there’s no harassment going on.