At the life service

"You only care that they are born, then once you come into the world you are not interested in them". In the cynical world of those who have the habit of fleasing voluntary work and associations, this is one of the most popular "pearls". It is addressed only and exclusively to those realities universally cataloged as "pro life", "for life", even if the detractors prefer terms like "anti-abortionists" (with a negative meaning, of course), frequently accompanied by references to fundamentalism and fanaticism, usually "Catholic". Well, in fact, one of the most agitated clichés against those who are committed to helping motherhood, offering support to women who experience an unexpected or difficult pregnancy and are tempted to resort to abortion, is precisely that of portraying them as exclusively interested in affirm the "sacredness of life": an ideological stance that is not accompanied by any real closeness to women and which is therefore destined to lead to disinterest when it comes to the moment of birth. Prejudices die hard, even when the instrumental nature of certain criticisms is evident. For this reason, it is worthwhile to take a look at the type of activity carried out by those movements, life aid centers and shelters that in Italy are part of the network of the Italian Movement for Life (to contact them in case of need, number green SOS Vita 800,813,000 or online chat at www.sosvita.it). 45 years have passed since the birth of the first Cav (Center for Aid to Life) and in this time 300,000 women have received support. 30 thousand of these had it in 2019, the last year surveyed.

Well, half of these were pregnant women, the other half women with children. Numbers that show how that criticism does not correspond to the truth and how, on the contrary, the support is continuous and also effective, and certainly does not stop at the first cry.

The Centers try in every possible way to help new mothers: not only with psychological and material help (starting with the distribution of notoriously expensive products for early childhood) but also, where necessary, with the offer of hospitality and accommodation, and someone even with job search support. A task that, until proven otherwise, would certainly not be the responsibility of simple volunteers. Every mother welcomed by a Cav can testify to this, and no one, despite the difficulties, has ever regretted the choice of having her own child born into the world. The reality, very simple, is that from the very first meeting, in those first weeks of gestation, both the mother and the child who lived in her were both liked (that is, loved, loved). And the keystone that in those situations pushes so many women to reassure themselves and to continue the pregnancy lies precisely in this alliance: you win by being all together on the same side, not going against someone.

Stefano Caredda
NP dicembre 2020