OUSU ban pro life advertising

OUSU council has voted to ban advertising from pro life charity ‘LIFE’ appearing in OUSU material


OUSU has banned advertising from pro life group ‘Life’ appearing in OUSU material.

A motion by Women’s Officer Sarah Pine, and seconded by St John’s president Alasdair Lennon put to OUSU council, sought to ban the controversial group from advertising with OUSU. They argued that students “deserve impartial and non-directional information and advice” which was not fulfilled by the pro-life group, “LIFE’s counselling and publicity is directive” and “organisations that give misleading advice can be actively harmful”.

OUSU council voted to ban advertising from the pro life charity ‘LIFE’

Pine and Lennon also argued, “We are also of the belief that the presence of Life in OUSU publications and events can be triggering and as such may be harmful to women who have undergone an abortion. A student union has a duty of care to its members and should do its utmost to prevent them from harm.”

After debate, a majority vote saw the motion was passed at OUSU council.

LIFE has since hit back against the decision, with spokesperson Anne Scanlan saying, “f the Union [OUSU] was truly pro-choice, as it claims to be, it would encourage greater access to all counselling services for pregnant women considering abortion such as the counselling and skilled listening services offered by LIFE which also provides accommodation and practical support to pregnant women who choose to keep their baby. Why would a truly pro-choice group want to deny them that?”