Guest Post: You Can Be Against Abortion And Still Be Pro-Choice

Earlier this week, it was reported that a young woman was handed a suspended prison sentence for taking abortion pills in Malta and then sought medical treatment for complications. The story shook many—myself included—not only because of the punishment, but because of the silence and isolation this woman must have endured.

Whatever one’s personal beliefs about abortion, there is something deeply troubling about watching another human being sentenced by the courts for a decision made in what was likely a private, and emotionally difficult moment.

That case is one of the reasons I felt compelled to write this article— because I, too, am personally against non-medically motivated abortions — and yet, I believe every woman in Malta should have the right to choose without fear of criminal prosecution.

This position might seem contradictory at first. But it’s not. In fact, one can argue that it’s the only position consistent with both personal conviction and respect for the rights of others.

Morality Is Personal. The Law Should Be Fair.

There are many of us who, for moral, religious or personal reasons, would not choose abortion ourselves. We may see it as the ending of a life, or something that clashes with our values. And yet, that belief—however sincerely held—should not be a reason to impose the same choice on someone else, whose life circumstances we cannot begin to understand.

Being pro-choice does not mean you are pro-abortion. It means acknowledging that the law must respect moral diversity. It means that the state’s role is not to enforce private morality, but to ensure public fairness and safety. It means recognising that difficult choices—especially ones involving pregnancy—belong to the person who has to live with them, not to politicians, judges, or the public.

Criminalising Women Helps No One

The recent court sentence brings into sharp focus what Malta’s total ban on abortion actually looks like in practice. It means women, already under emotional and sometimes physical strain, face criminal charges, and although in this case the sentence was suspended, it still carries the weight of criminal conviction and public shaming.

Let’s be clear: no woman should ever face prison—effective or suspended—for taking abortion pills.

Do we honestly believe that the threat of a prison sentence will stop people from seeking abortion? It won’t. What it will do is push them further underground. It will deter them from seeking medical help if complications arise, for fear of being reported, investigated, and punished.

In practice, this makes abortion less safe, not less common. It risks turning private tragedies into public prosecutions. And it creates a culture of silence where fear, not compassion, governs personal choices.

Malta Is Not a Theocracy

Malta remains the only EU country with an outright ban on abortion. Our laws reflect a moral code rooted in a particular religious tradition, but our society has grown more diverse, more educated, and more complex. We are no longer a country where one worldview fits all.

Being personally opposed to abortion does not mean we must legislate that view onto everyone. A pluralist society allows for moral disagreement. It allows you to believe something is wrong and still respect the right of another person to make a different choice.

Compassion Is Not Compromise

Some call pro-choice views “morally weak” or accuse them of sitting on the fence. I would argue the opposite. It takes empathy and strength to hold two truths at once: that you would not make a particular choice yourself, but you also do not feel entitled to make that decision for others.

In my case, I believe life is precious. I also believe that protecting life includes respecting the dignity and safety of women. I do not believe that prison, courtrooms, or police investigations are the right way to deal with someone who has reached the painful point of ending a pregnancy.

I don’t celebrate abortion. I just want to care enough to want it to be safe, regulated, and free of criminal consequences. I believe you can be morally opposed to abortion and still believe others should be allowed to choose. You can hold deep convictions without insisting they become law for everyone else. That’s not hypocrisy. That’s democracy.

A Better Way Forward

It’s time for Malta to approach this issue with maturity and realism. Nobody is calling for reckless or unregulated access, but we must move away from the current all-or-nothing legal framework. Women who find themselves in impossible situations deserve support, not suspicion. They deserve access to healthcare, not handcuffs.

You can be morally against abortion and still believe the law should allow it. That’s not a contradiction—it’s a recognition that your conscience is yours, not the country’s.

That young woman who stood in court recently did not need punishment. She needed understanding, and so do the thousands of others in Malta silently carrying fear, stigma, and shame for decisions that should never be criminal.

Brian Scicluna is an opinionist with a keen interest in politics, public policy, and compassionate legislation that remains grounded in the values of contemporary society