40 Days For Life

[[File:40-days-for-life.jpg|thumb|165px|Their logo.]]
{{abortion}}
'''40 Days for Life''' is a multinational, predominantly [[Catholic]]<ref name="BirmPost_Lowe">Lowe, Pam (October 25, 2017). [http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/news/news-opinion/comment-time-move-anti-abortion-13779420 "Comment: Time to move anti-abortion protest out of women's way"]. ''Birmingham Post''. Retrieved October 25, 2017. p. 30</ref> [[Pro-life|anti-abortion]] organization which officiates protests  in up to 25 nations worldwide.<ref name="Monaghan">{{cite news|last1=Monaghan|first1=Gabrielle|title=Pro life activists to picket clinic|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/pro-life-activists-to-picket-clinic-szfxt7wt5m6|accessdate=October 3, 2017|work=The Sunday Times|date=February 7, 2016}}</ref><ref name="results">{{cite web|url=http://40daysforlife.com/results/|title=Results|publisher=40 Days for Life|accessdate=2014-07-21}}</ref><!-- "Times" says "over 20"; 40DFL claims 25 --> The 2017 fall campaign is from September 27 until November 5.<ref>https://40daysforlife.com/</ref> It was originally started in 2004 by a local group in Bryan-College Station, [[Texas]], led by {{wpl|David Bereit||.}}<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ncregister.com/site/article/3209/|title=40 Days for Life: Pro-Life Group Launches National Campaign|author=Tim Drake|publisher=National Catholic Register|date=Aug 4, 2007|accessdate=2014-07-21}}</ref>  The name refers to a pattern of several events lasting for 40 days repeated in the [[Bible]], such as in [[Noah's Ark]], [[Moses]]'s 40 days on Mount Sinai, and [[Jesus]]'s 40 days in the desert.

The campaign is active in the fall and spring of each year. The fall 2010 saw an expansion of 40 Days for Life overseas, and their fall campaign launched in 238 locations around the world, including the [[United States]], [[Canada]], [[Australia]], [[England]], [[Northern Ireland]], and [[Denmark]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/40-days-for-life-launches-in-record-238-locations-around-the-world|title= 40 Days for Life Launches in Record 238 Locations around the World|publisher=LifeSite News|date=2010-09-22|accessdate=2014-07-21}}</ref> 

==History==
The initial 2004 local campaign resulted in a rejuvenation of local anti-abortion activities in the Bryan-College Station area. Over the next two and a half years, the campaign was replicated in six other cities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dsj.org/social-ministry/our-programs/respect-life-and-human-dignity/40-days-for-life/|title=40 Days for Life|publisher=Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose in California|accessdate=2014-07-21}}</ref> In early 2007, the leaders of those first campaigns got together and suggested a simultaneous nationwide 40 Days for Life campaign in as many cities as wished to participate. The first national campaign ran that fall with activities in more than 80 cities in more than 30 American states.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/u-s-kicks-off-40-days-for-life|title=U.S. Kicks Off 40 Days for Life|publisher=Zenit News Agency|date=2007-09-26|accessdate=2014-07-21}}</ref> A second national campaign ran in the spring of 2008 during [[Lent]], with events held in 59 cities.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS138148+21-Jan-2008+PRN20080121|publisher=Reuters|title=Abortion Opponents in 59 Cities Prepare Focused 40-Day Campaign to Counter Impact|date= Jan 21, 2008}}</ref>  

The Fall 2010 campaign attracted attention when a [[Tennessee]] abortion provider was arrested for brandishing a handgun at three 40 Days for Life participants demonstrating outside a [[South Carolina]] abortion clinic.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20101003/PC1602/310039951|title=Police: Abortion doctor pulls gun|publisher=The Post and Courier|date=2010-10-03|accessdate=2014-07-21}}</ref> 

==Campaigns==
A 40 Days for Life campaign consists of 40 days of [[prayer]] and [[fasting]]<ref name="NCRegister hope">http://www.ncregister.com/site/article/40-days-for-life-is-witnessing-to-hope</ref><ref name="CNA results">http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/record-breaking-40-days-for-life-campaign-sees-monumental-results-42367/</ref> in shifts outside of a clinic or hospital that performs abortions, or which provides women having abortions elsewhere with advice,{{efn|For example, 40 Days for Life has campaigned against clinics in [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] (where {{wpl|Abortion in the Republic of Ireland|abortion was illegal}} unless the mother's life is at risk) which helped women who are thinking of having an abortion in Britain<!-- Not UK as stated in article; Northern Ireland also has restrictive abortion laws --> (where {{wpl|Abortion in the United Kingdom|abortion is legal}} on a wider number of grounds).<ref name="Monaghan" />}} for 40 days.<ref name="Coldwell">{{cite news|last1=Coldwell|first1=Will|title=Meeting the Grinning Men Behind the UK Pro-Life Movement|url=https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/nnm88x/the-uk-pro-life-movement-are-campaigning-non-stop-for-40-days|accessdate=October 3, 2017|work=Vice News|date=September 30, 2013}}</ref>

The organization claims that its efforts have prevented 11,165 abortions globally since 2007.<ref name="Monaghan" />

===Tactics===
The organization is seen as an example of US-style anti-abortion tactics being imported to the United Kingdom in particular, such as stalking pregnant women down the street, handing out fetus dolls to women entering the clinics, chanting so loud that they can be heard inside the clinic,<ref name="BirmPost_Lowe" /> displaying graphic images of abortions outside the clinic,<ref>40DaysofChoice [40DaysofChoice]. (2013, Oct 08). Abort 67 in Brighton… MT @Killers_Riches: I'll be facing this if I decide to leave my flat tomorrow morning. http://t.co/I5JRDdZRnb [Tweet]. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/40DaysofChoice/status/387665092696764416</ref> filming those entering the clinics without their permission<ref name="Forbes">Ditum, Sarah (May 31, 2012). [https://www.forbes.com/sites/womensenews/2012/05/31/u-k-sees-rise-of-u-s-style-anti-abortion-tactics/#79f9441d5f5a "U.K. Sees Rise of U.S.-Style Anti-Abortion Tactics"]. ''Forbes''.</ref> and spraying them with holy water.<ref name="BirmPost_Lowe" />

In 2017, following increased presence due to the 50-year anniversary of the UK's {{wpl|Abortion Act 1967|Abortion Act of 1967}}, councillors in Birmingham and London supported legislation which would enact "buffer zones" around the clinics to prevent altercations.<ref name="BirmPost_Main">Jones, Tamlyn (October 19-25, 2017).[http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/health/city-health-chief-would-support-13779075 "Calls to ban anti-abortion protest from clinic's gates"]. ''Birmingham Post''. Trinity Mirror. pgs. 1, 3</ref>

==Inaccuracies==
At its protests, 40DfL has provided medically incorrect health information – disguised as [[National Health Service|official NHS]] leaflets with a dash of [[Loaded language|emotive language]], such as referring to the reader as a "mum" who will "not [be] able to look your future children in the eye"<ref name="Baxter">{{cite news|last1=Baxter|first1=Holly|title=40 Days for Life: Prayers and protests|url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/mar/26/40-days-life-prayers-protests|accessdate=3 October 2017|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=26 March 2013}}</ref> – such as the widely debunked [[Evidence linking abortion to breast cancer|claim that abortion can cause breast cancer]],<ref name="Coldwell" /><ref name="Uprichard">Uprichard, Lucy (October 14, 2013). [http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/lucy-uprichard/40-days-for-life-abortion_b_4089013.html "40 Days For Life: Abortion and Passive-Aggressive 'Peaceful Prayer'"] ''Huffington Post''. Retrieved October 25, 2017.</ref> and also claiming that abortion causes physical problems for the women involved.<ref name="Baxter" /> Further taking a leaf out of the anti-[[Planned Parenthood]] propaganda in the U.S., 40DfL casts abortion providers as financially motivated evildoers – despite the fact that most clinics in the UK are provided not-for-profit (e.g. via {{wpl|Marie Stopes}} and the {{wpl|British Pregnancy Advisory Service}}) on behalf of the [[National Health Service]].<ref name="Forbes" />

==External links==
*[http://www.40daysforlife.com/ Official website]

==Notes==
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==References==
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[[Category:Anti-abortion activists]]

Categories: Anti-abortion activists