women who had to abort despite their contraception testify in a poignant documentary

Putting words to shame, guilt and loneliness: this is what young women who have had a voluntary termination of pregnancy (abortion) are trying to do. Gathered in a discussion group supervised by a therapist, they share their experience in the documentary IVG, the right to talk about it, broadcast Tuesday March 5 on France 2 at 10:50 p.m. A film directed by Léa Bordier, who herself had an abortion and kept this event a secret for a long time.

Although abortion has been decriminalized since 1975 by the Veil law, this right remains threatened. This is why France, where more than 200,000 women have had abortions in 2022, included the “guaranteed freedom” to resort to abortion in the Constitution on Monday March 4. However, talking about this subject can be painful for some women, as illustrated by this documentary, which tells of the intimate and social upheaval that an abortion can cause, the gynecological violence, sometimes, as well as the failure of contraceptive methods, too often.

Contraceptive accidents

Contrary to popular belief, many women who had to have an abortion took contraceptives or protected themselves during intercourse. This is what happened to Lucie, who had an abortion on her 17th birthday and who confides in the documentary.

“It was protected sex. All my relationships were protected (…) At family planning (…) I was made to experience enormous guilt. No one believed me when I said that it was was protected sex, and even today, I find myself doubting whether we really were vigilant. I’m sure we were.”

Lucy

in “IVG, the right to talk about it”

According to a report of the General Inspectorate of Social Affairs (Igas) published in 2009, 72% of abortions are performed on women who were on contraception. The most frequent accidents are the breakage or incorrect use of the condom, as well as forgetting the pill, throwing it away due to an illness or due to its interaction with other medications. The IUD is also sometimes blamed.

Clotilde, who testifies in the documentary, also had an abortion even though she had protected sex. “From the beginning, I have heard you say that most of you were on contraception, and this is the case for the majority of women who have abortions, if I have seen the figures correctly. This is my case too (…) I no longer want to have to justify myself. I said it to certain people to explain: ‘you see, I did everything necessary’, to justify my having had an abortion (…) It’s something that doesn’t must be questioned under any circumstances.”

The documentary IVG, the right to talk about it, accomplished by Léa Bordier, is broadcast at 10:50 p.m. Tuesday March 5 on France 2 and available on france.tv.