Judge bans graphic anti-abortion ads over concerns of causing psychological harm to women

The Canadian judge also said that children could be at risk

Pro-choice advocates (left) and anti-abortion advocates (right) rally outside of the Supreme Court, March 2, 2016 in Washington, DC. (Drew Angerer/Getty)

Last week, a Canadian judge banned an anti-abortion group from airing graphic ads on transit buses in the city of Grande Prairie, Alberta.

The proposed advertisement in question displays images of fetuses and reads, “Abortion kills children. End the killing.” In the ruling, Judge C. S. Anderson explained that the city’s decision was made to protect women and children who could be negatively affected by witnessing the public advertisement.

“They may not be familiar with the word abortion, but they can read and understand that ‘something’ kills children,” the judge wrote in the decision, according to the Canadian Press. “Expression of this kind may lead to emotional responses from the various people who make use of public transit and other users of the road, creating a hostile and uncomfortable environment.”

The judge argues that the ads can potentially cause psychological harm to women who have had abortions or are thinking about having one.

Joyce Arthur of the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada told the news agency that she believes the ruling will inspire communities to reject ads that carry the potential of confusing and instilling fear in children.

Before the ruling, an anti-abortion group called the Canadian Center for Bioethical Reform appealed the city’s decision to decline running the ads. Now, they’re criticizing the judge’s decision.

“If government can tell its citizens what’s upsetting and what isn’t upsetting in their speech, then democracy is threatened and, indeed, progress is threatened,” legal counsel for the group told reporters. That might sound like a nice argument, but progress is actually threatened when women can’t go out in public without being confronted and criticized for the choices they make about their reproductive health.”