A Northern Irish artist has created a powerful audio drama exploring the emotional and physical journeys of women travelling from Northern Ireland for abortions. The piece, titled 'Four', was inspired by the artist's own awakening to the impact of restrictive abortion laws.
Growing up in Belfast, the artist recalls the fear and stigma surrounding pregnancy, with anti-abortion campaigners thrusting distressing posters and plastic foetuses at her. The rare rumours of girls having to go 'across the water' to England for terminations were whispered, but abortion was not openly discussed.
The artist's eyes were opened in her late teens when a student received a suspended sentence for taking abortion pills ordered online, after her housemates called the police. 'I was appalled they would do this and anguished the law left this vulnerable woman without support,' she says. 'It was then I realised that our abortion laws affected everyone, including me.'
In 2019, the artist saw 28 women hauling suitcases across Westminster Bridge in London, representing the 28 women travelling from Northern Ireland for terminations each week. Shocked by the lack of awareness, she applied to the BBC Arts New Creatives scheme to create 'Four', an audio piece focusing on the emotional journey and the need for healthcare, not airfare.
The piece features four voices of varying age and gender, based on real-life stories shared anonymously on a Facebook page. The artist aimed to be truthful and faithful to people's experiences, approaching charities for guidance. 'By writing Four, I have learned that everyone has their own individual story and set of circumstances,' she says.
