Does Poland Hate Women?
Make it stand out
Warsaw, November 2020
The air vibrates with anticipation and suppressed anger. Suppressed for now. The voices all blend into one, in faces lies understanding. The wind is cold but it doesn't discourage, it adds to determination. It adds to raising tension lined with solidarity. Then it starts. The men in uniforms move towards the people, the line between a source of help and perpetrators turning blurry. Someone screams, pepper spray in their eyes. The chanting seems to float over the crowds, over the flares and banners. One of them reads: "I wish I could abort my government."
Women In Poland Are Seen As Unable To Make Their Own Decisions
At the end of 2020, Poland made frequent appearances in foreign media because of the near-total abortion ban. The country saw thousands of people protesting in several cities which gained coverage and support abroad, however, the situation was quickly forgotten. It's not the first time it happened, after all.
To get a better understanding of the situation in Poland, let's skip back to 2016 and the "Stop Abortion" bill. It was introduced to ban abortion in all cases except to save women’s life. Apart from the policy being one of the most restrictive in Europe, the ban implied that women could be prosecuted if they had a miscarriage - even if it was unintentional.
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The abortion ban essentially draws attention to the way cis women are viewed in Poland. They're seen as too infantile to make their own decisions and likely to use abortion as a method of contraception. The irony being that accessing contraception can be a challenge; I won't forget the night I needed emergency contraception. A trip to the hospital stretched into hours as I ventured across the city at night, trying to find a place to get the morning-after pill.
When conservative values dictate the law, they're used to control people. It doesn't come as a surprise that the anti-abortion movement has a big momentum in Poland. The problems start when their views are used as an excuse to accept harassment.
Eventually, I managed to see someone privately and obtain a prescription which cost me both money and enormous stress. It's not only expensive but can be denied by health professionals if it goes against their beliefs.
This controversial law can be interpreted in many ways if the clause of conscience comes into play. It's easy to imagine a doctor with conservative views suspecting their patient induced miscarriage, even worse if the judge agrees with them, and accusing them of breaking said law. This scenario might be extreme but sends a clear message - an unborn baby is more important than women's health or rights in Poland, because our women don't know what's best for them.
The Conservative Values Have More Importance Than Women's Safety
In 2020, Poland declared it would be leaving a treaty that promoted protection against domestic violence called the Istanbul Convention. Even though recent findings found that 63% of women experienced domestic violence.
It was a slap in the face and another instance of total disregard for women's rights. The reason? According to the government, the convention promotes harmful gender ideologies, namely it would require children to learn about gender, including an LGBT education, which Poland is clearly afraid of. As president Andrzej Duda stated, "LGBT is an ideology more destructive than communism".
In 2019, a project was even proposed that implied banning sex education to prevent deviation and paedophilia. Ironically, paedophilia among priests continues to be a serious issue and the sentences remain inadequate or often don't take place at all. It seems that promoting conservative values is the priority, even at the expense of human's rights.
When conservative values dictate the law, they're used to control people. It doesn't come as a surprise that the anti-abortion movement has a big momentum in Poland. The problems start when their views are used as an excuse to accept harassment.
Imagine you're a teenager who just found out you are pregnant. You can't ask your parents for advice so the first you do is you join a private Facebook group and confess you're thinking of getting an abortion. Now imagine someone in the group contacts your parents. Imagine you have the choice: to keep the baby or to be thrown out of the house. But what kind of choice is that?
Then let this sink in: the person who put you in this position is to be awarded. When a Polish pro-lifer, Zuzanna Wiewiórka, received a medal from the Polish Ministry of Justice for "life protection" (read harassment), the Internet took a closer look at her actions. It quickly came to light that she frequently used manipulation to reach women considering abortion, to then intimidate them with gruesome photos. She even claimed it was okay to murder the women who have abortion appointments because it saves the unborn baby's life. Meanwhile, women who are planning to have the pregnancy terminated or advocating for abortion rights are flooded with threats with no help from the authorities.
And it gets worse. Imagine you were raped and got pregnant as a result. According to the abortion law, you should be allowed to have the pregnancy terminated. This is only realistic in theory because the definition of rape in Poland requires the victim to prove they were defending themselves. Unless the attacker bears marks from the struggle or unless someone heard the victim scream, it wasn't rape. The definition disregards lack of consent that can happen in many instances: having a drink spiked, being unconscious or simply freezing as a natural fear response. What makes it even worse is that 10% of men believe marital rape doesn't exist.
Unfortunately, reality reflects how problematic the definition really is. In September 2020 the court sentenced a 26-year-old man who raped a 14-year-old to just a one-year suspended sentence. Because the victim didn't scream. It didn't matter that there were text messages that proved he was guilty. It didn't matter she couldn't legally consent. What mattered was the rapist's word against the victim's and in Poland, the victim rarely wins.
The Handmaid's Tale Continues
Despite the public's outrage, in 2020 the court's ruling determined that abortions would be legal only in the case of rape, incest and life-threatening danger to the mother. But the statistics from 2019 don't lie: 97% of abortions in Poland were caused by severe foetal abnormalities. Could it really be that an unborn baby's life is more valued than a woman's right to choose?
Even if children born with foetal defects survive after birth, their families will be left to fend for themselves. The benefits that are supposed to support the families aren't enough to cover medical needs and food. And if you want to take up a job to be able to afford vital treatment? Too bad, you'll be taken off the benefits. It seems like the goal isn't to save any lives, but to control the lives of women.
This situation reminds me of The Handmaid's Tale where, despite people's protests, the change was happening gradually, and then all at once. And just like in the story, the police in Poland weren't of much help - especially following the growing reports of pepper spray used against the protestors and brutal arrests. The police aren’t here to support the public, but to enforce the twisted rules of the government.
Still, There Is Hope
I feel safe in the UK knowing I have control over my body but the news coming from my country hangs over me like a threat. Some are difficult to believe. Watching The Handmaid's Tale has now a completely different undertone.
But as I think about the unity and the overwhelming support, I feel hope. When I think of the following facts, I feel hope:
A Polish high school student, Krysia Paszko, created a cosmetic website that allows abused women to report their partners without raising suspicions.
The protests that took place in 2020 are said to be the biggest in the history of Poland. Among over 400,000 protesters stood our families, friends and partners. The voices were raised in several other countries.
The Polish opposition party is making efforts to change the definition of rape and feminist organisations continue their fight for women's rights.
Foreign organisations express their solidarity with Poland.
When I see my friends getting more and more involved in activism, I feel hope. When my family begins to realise how harmful these laws are, I feel hope but start to understand it will be a long fight. A fight against conservative views, misogyny and patriarchy.
Perhaps it's true that Poland isn't ready for rapid changes. But perhaps we should make it ready.
Words by Bitna Mae | Illustrations by Martha Maynard
