We then made a second documentary, which focused on medical abortion and asked why it is forbidden in Lithuania if it is safe and easier to provide than a surgical abortion during COVID-19 restrictions. We also looked at ‘crisis pregnancy centres’ (CPCs) and how they try to ‘counsel’ women to continue unwanted pregnancies.
An investigator on our team called a CPC in Vilnius, undercover, to find out what kind of advice they give women. The answers included a contrast between “the joy of giving life” and trauma and a missed opportunity to have children.
Again, after the film went out, complaints were filed to other government bodies that oversee ethics in journalism and the mass media. The CPC said the film falsely depicted it as a radical organisation, and wanted the documentary to be removed from the internet. These complaints were rejected.
This particular CPC is frequently in the limelight because of its connections to powerful people. It is supported by celebrities, and Diana Nausėdienė, wife of the Lithuanian president Gitanas Nausėda, hosts events for the CPC at the presidential palace. It also has ads everywhere and runs big TV promo campaigns.
I continued researching these issues, including misinformation from such centres globally. I learned that I’m not the only one to have faced pressure from anti-abortion activists, to tell only their story. The head of one women’s hospital said “there is pressure for us gynaecologists, to send all [women] to crisis pregnancy centres,” pressure that, she said, comes from such centres and the health ministry.
Over the last year, I’ve seen how much of the mainstream media routinely contributes to a situation where women’s rights are undermined. But I’ve also learned how much storytelling and narratives matter. And Lithuanian women deserve much better than what most of the country’s media is currently providing.
This article was co-published with NARA