Although it may sound like a well intentioned service - helping women who have financial and social problems and are struggling during pregnancy - "pregnancy crisis services" in Malta are mostly run by anti-choice groups such as LifeNetwork and its operations Life Line and Dar Tgħanniqa t'Omm.
The aim of such organisations is to prevent abortions, and there have been reports of women being intimidated in Malta after contacting such services to prevent them from getting abortions. Vulnerable women contacting such services may not be fully aware of their true intentions and agenda, and may think that such services will offer unbiased information on all pregnancy options. This is certainly not the case.
It is also a known fact that Life Network is affiliated with Agenda Europe, an extremist political network that aims to roll back human rights and equality protections across Europe. They are against LGBTIQ+ rights and protections, as well as against contraception, the choice of abortion, and reproductive technologies like IVF.
To make matters worse the government of Malta has given LifeNetwork a grant to run such "pregnancy support services" over the next three years. This is appalling.
We want to make it clear that as an organisation we recommend that the public, especially pregnant women who are considering abortion, stay away from such "pregnancy crisis services".
If women would like to explore options in pregnancy, including the option of abortion, they should seek support from pro-choice services like Abortion Support Network
and FPAS Malta.
See also a similar statement released today by Voice for Choice.