Cynthia Soohoo, Turning Away From Criminal Abortion Laws and Towards Support for Pregnant People and Their Families, 104 B.U. L. Rev. Online 109 (2024) (published). SSRN.
Human rights bodies recognize that restrictive abortion laws violate the dignity and human rights of women, girls, and people who can become pregnant. They also recognize the unique harm of using criminal law to punish and regulate abortion. This article examines human rights critiques and the practical experience of countries around the world with criminal abortion laws that has resulted in rejection of criminal regimes. As the United States faces the expansion of criminal abortion laws, the analysis of human rights bodies and respected high courts provide a helpful framework to analyze and challenge these laws.