Abortion Services: Safe Access Zones

Abortion Services: Safe Access Zones

A new law has been passed in Scotland. This law says women and girls who have abortions should be protected.

This law prevents people trying to scare women and girls away from hospitals and clinics which provide abortion services. It will come into effect on 24 September 2024.

Areas around these hospitals and clinics will become Safe Access Zones. These are areas where people are not allowed to do certain things which could:

• Influence someone’s private decision to use abortion services

• Prevent or get in the way of someone using abortion services
• Harass or distress someone trying to use abortion services

Preventing or influencing someone might include:

• Approaching someone to try and persuade them to change their mind as they go in and out of hospital

• Handing out leaflets
• Religious preachings

• Holding silent vigils

Safe Access Zones will help make sure women and girls can use abortion services safely. They will also protect the staff of these clinics and hospitals.

Safe Access Zones will cover:

• The hospital or clinic
• The public area of a hospital or clinic
• 200 metres around the hospital or clinic

Someone might try to harass or influence someone’s decision to use abortion services from their home. If it is within the 200 metre Safe Access Zone it still counts.

You can see a list of current Safe Access Zones in Scotland with maps at www.gov.scot/safe-access-zones.

Police Scotland will be responsible for enforcing the Safe Access Zones. Call the police if you see someone breaking this law.

Anybody who breaks this law can be fined up to £10,000.

We will check how effective the Safe Access Zones are regularly.

For more information visit www.gov.scot/safe-access-zones

You can read the law here.