User:Joistmonkey/jepson

The Reverend Joanna Jepson is a Church Of England curate most notable for instigating a legal challenge into the late abortion of a 28 week-old foetus in 2001. The reasons given for the termination were associated with the foetus having a cleft lip and palate - grounds which the Rev. Jepson argued did not constitute "a serious handicap" under the terms of the 1967 UK Abortion Act.

The Rev. Joanna Jepson, who was born with a jaw deformity herself, and whose brother is disabled, argued that the abortion was an "unlawful killing". However, in 2005 a judicial review concluded that the doctors carrying out the abortion had "acted in good faith", and would not face prosecution.

Childhood
Rev. Jepson was born with a congenital jaw defect - her top jaw stuck out by eight millimetres and her lower jaw hung down into her neck. This resulted in a deformed appearance which she herself described made her look "like a chipmunk". She was forced to wait till her late teens before she could have constructive surgery, as it was neccessary to wait till her facial and jaw bones had stopped growing.

Between 1991 and 1993 she underwent corrective operations in order to correct her jaw defect. These operations involved removing flesh from her upper jaw, breaking and resetting her lower jaw, and rebuilding her chin using muscle. The process was highly traumatic and involved Intensive Care treatment in hospital, a lengthly period of swelling, and having her jaw wired.

Joanna believes that this gave her an insight into human nature - she was bullied because of her appearance at school, but became part of "the pretty, popular crowd" at university, after her corrective cosmetic surgery. Her feelings about this change, as well as those brought up by the attitudes of other people she met after surgery, influenced her interest in a much-publicised trial following the abortion of a foetus in December 2001.

The case
The abortion of the 28 week-old fetus was carried out in December 2001 in Herefordshire by doctors who cannot be named for legal reasons. Under the terms of the 1967 UK Abortion Act, abortions after 24 weeks (such as this one) should only be carried out if "there is a substantial risk that if the child was born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormailities as to be seriously handicapped".

Rev. Jepson argued that a cleft palate or lip did not meet this definition - citing the fact that she herself had more serious facial deformities, and that many people born with cleft palates have had perfectly satisfactory corrective operations. As a consequence, she considered this a case of 'unlawful killing' and mounted a legal challenge.

There is no legal defintion of "seriously handicapped" - it is left to the discretion of parents and medical personnel. Rev. Jepson believes that applying the above reasoning to her own situation, "the law is saying there are good reaons why I should not be alive".

Between 1995 and late 2003, twenty-six abortions on foetuses with cleft palates took place, two of which are believed to have taken place after 24 weeks.

The result of the legal challenge was that Rev. Jepson's complaint was not upheld, the Crown Prosecution Service stating that the doctirs involved acted in good faith and would ot face criminal charges.

A spokesperson for the Abortion Rights group stated that they welcomed the decision. Cleft palate can lead to severe disability and the doctors are believed to have acted on those grounds.

A ProLife Alliance spokesperson expressed concern at the verdict, commenting on the "eugenic mentality in medicine in the UK"

Joanna Jepson said that "People only see the negative side of disability". She also expressed her difficulty dealing with the fact that pregnant mothers in the UK are screened for Down's Syndrome - A condition which Rev. Jepson's brother has. Diagnosis of Down's Syndrome in the foetus is the most common resons given for abortion of foetus in the UK, and it is feared that screening for this will lead to more abortions.

Rev. Jepson stated a desire to raise the profile of the issues associated with this case, and would like to see a tightening of the law so that "abortions do not take place for trivial reasons and women are not traumatised".

Joanna Jepson later worked in another area where physical perfection and attractiveness are often seen to be very important.

Role at London College of Fashion
In 2006, Rev. Jepson was appointed as Chaplain at The London College of Fashion, as the institution celebrated it's centenary. She stated that she was looking forward to meeting the challenges associated with the role, such as the ethical and political issues associated with fashion, and it's "hedonistic image".

She voiced her amazement that, in view of the fashion industry's impact on society, the involvement of the Church had been so little. "It is just as important to work in a cultural community as a parish community"