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"Will I be able to look after him?” This is one of the questions asked by pregnant women who are going through an ordeal with their pregnancy, and whose stories have been collected by the Résilientes media. Although they never expected to become mothers, they made the choice to go ahead with a pregnancy, sometimes at the cost of a breakup with their partner or even their family. These never-before-seen testimonials, broadcasted via YouTube videos and podcasts, highlight the multiple pressures that women face when their pregnancy is not planned and/or not wanted by those around them.
"I was alone and had no support from my family", says one of the mothers. Through the testimonies of women who have overcome a pregnancy in fear, loneliness and rejection by family and friends, Résilientes hopes to help pregnant women facing these difficulties. Sometimes against the advice of their family or partner, and despite an uncertain economic situation, they have taken the gamble of life, proving that an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy can bring great joy and even strength, as one of them testifies.
In Belgium in 2021, "family or relationship reasons" accounted for 17% of the reasons given for abortion in the report by the National Commission for the Evaluation of Voluntary Termination of Pregnancy. The reasons given for this category include the fact that the partner does not want the pregnancy, that the relationship is too recent or casual, or that there are problems in the couple or in the relationship with those around them. The possibility of abortion, presented by society and the public authorities as a "solution", quickly becomes an injunction that weighs heavily on the woman, all the more so when the family or socio-economic context is not favourable. "I've already had two abortions, I was under enormous pressure at the time", says one of the women interviewed by Résilientes. This pressure is exacerbated by the consequences, particularly psychological, on women's health: "I'll always think about them" says one of them, referring to the two babies she had to abort.
These testimonies underline the crucial need to prevent abortion, and not just unwanted pregnancies. Disregarding this reality, some political parties in Belgium are proposing instead to remove from the law the obligation for doctors to mention alternatives to abortion, such as adoption or the possibility of fostering a child, to women considering this option.
In Belgium, the Souffle de Vie association provides practical, long-term help to women and couples experiencing difficulties during pregnancy.
Read other testimonials on the resilientes.media website