Strategies to advocate for access to abortion: a qualitative study on the perspectives of experts in Victoria, Australia
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: In Australia and internationally, organisations (i.e. health promotion organisations, healthcare services, universities) have been at the forefront of advocacy for enactment of rights-based abortion policies and regulations. Despite abortion being decriminalised in all Australian states and territories, advocacy is needed to address prevailing legal and non-legal barriers that impede accessibility of abortion. There is a paucity of literature documenting strategies implemented by organisations to advocate for improved abortion access. This study examines the perspectives and experiences of people working for organisations engaged in abortion advocacy in Victoria, Australia. METHODS: The study applies qualitative methods. Between July and September 2023, we conducted 50-60-min semi-structured interviews. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, de-identified and thematically analysed inductively. We conducted nine interviews with people working for health promotion organisations, healthcare providers, and universities across metropolitan and regional Victoria. RESULTS: We identified four strategies described by participants to strengthen advocacy efforts. These features were: (1) a collaborative, trust-building approach to advocacy; (2) building up to conversations on abortion; (3) the power of shared knowledge; and (4) the role of data. CONCLUSION: These findings can inform the development of strategic plans produced by organisations involved in abortion advocacy, and provide a starting point on which future strategies can be built.
Source: Sexual Health
DOI: 10.1071/sh25147
Authors: Carrie Van Rensburg, Catherine Kirby, Louise Keogh
Institution: The University of Melbourne
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4417419726