Recently I watched this film and it made me think about people's attitudes towards abortions. Set in 1950's London, Vera, a nurturing motherly figure, is performing backstreet abortions to 'help girls out'. She uses household items and flushes them with soapy water to stimulate a miscarriage. With only the wealthy being able to afford to staying in a nursing home for the termination of their pregnancy, many women come to Vera for help. Not only does Vera have no medical training or sterile equipment, she is not able to offer the psychological support that healthcare professionals could offer.
Although Vera has a heart of gold and means no harm, one of the girls she helped takes a turn for the worst and her case becomes life threatening.Vera had never seen her actions as wrong however she was wrecked on hearing the news. The police soon get involved and her family learn of her private life. Her son in particular, presents as being emotionally distressed after finding that his Mum 'kills little babies'. She is sentenced for two and half years imprisonment.
If abortions were made illegal in the UK, it worries me that these illegal and uncontrolled practices may take place again. When I think about not being able to get the right treatment or any medical attention to that matter, it makes you really appreciate having the NHS with free healthcare at the point of call. Also without proper support and counselling, people may be a risk to themselves or others. With the stigma of mental health reducing over time people, psychological support is more available and possibly more importantly, it is more accepted.
Trailer for Vera Drake (2004) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5L3hGxHumY
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