A study on the lived experience of pro-choice activists under Malta’s blanket ban on abortion

Abstract

Reproductive rights are a central feature in the fight for gender equality. Pro-choice activists around the globe have played a significant role in increasing the accessibility of these rights, and have made a notable contribution to women’s emancipation. In Malta, there is a blanket ban on abortion, against which a pro-choice movement was created. Through this movement, a local pro-choice community was formed. In this study, I explore the positive and negative lived experiences of activists who form part of this community in Malta through Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). During the study, I discuss the various challenges and achievements mentioned by the participants. The results suggest that certain elements play a central role in their experiences, such as the effects on one’s professional environment, the impact on one’s mental health, the prominence of online harassment, a lack of safety and a sense of community. In addition to this, a gendered element was noted throughout, in that the female participants had certain negative experiences on the basis of their gender.