Healing the Hidden Wounds: New ‘Save One’ Programme Launches to Help New Zealanders Recover from Abortion Trauma
For thousands of women every year the promise of “freedom” from the consequences of an unplanned or unexpected pregnancy never comes. In fact, the impact of a decision to abort their baby instead leaves a hidden grief and long-term trauma that never gets addressed.
The grief can be hidden but profound — shaping relationships, mental health, and self-worth for years, sometimes decades. Yet in New Zealand, post-abortion healing remains one of the least talked about areas of care.
Voice For Life board member Gina Sunderland has seen that pain up close. Next month, Gina and her husband Graham are launching the first New Zealand branch of Save One, a biblically-based recovery programme for women, men, and families affected by abortion.
“There are women sitting in churches who have had abortions,” Gina says. “Many are hurting in silence. Save One gives them a safe, confidential space to heal.”
The first group will run this September, hosted in a local church. The exact location won’t be advertised — only a phone number for private enquiries. “We do it very sensitively,” Gina says. “No names, no venues in ads. Just a quiet invitation for those ready to take the step.”
Why This Matters Now
Voice For Life national president, Lydia Posthuma, says even the Ministry of Health, which supplies and promotes abortion, recognises the need for counselling women considering or following abortion.
“The need for counselling services is embedded within the laws surrounding abortion services already,” Lydia says.
“But despite counselling being offered at three separate times during the process of a women’s request for abortion, only 15 percent of women in 2023 accessed counselling before an abortion, and there’s no data to show how many sought support after.”
Under the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act, abortion counselling is not mandatory, but Section 12 requires that a health practitioner must advise a woman of the availability of counselling services when she’s seeking advice about whether to continue or terminate a pregnancy, declares her intention to terminate, or has already had an abortion.
The Standard for Abortion Counselling outlines its purpose: to offer therapeutic support, help people explore emotions, weigh options, and — when needed — process grief. It’s not procedural advice, but included as “a safeguard to ensure informed choice, preserve autonomy, and prevent coercion”.
“Sadly though, the requirement for being one of the abortion counselling service providers is that they do not object conscientiously to abortion, which begs the question - is the very service set to help prevent coercion creating coercion by only allowing pro-abortion counsellors to do the work?,” Lydia asks.
In 2023, there were 16,277 abortion procedures in New Zealand — a 14.9% increase on 2022. The majority (86%) were performed at or before 10 weeks’ gestation.
The Hidden Epidemic of Coercion
While abortion is often framed as a personal choice, research shows that many women experience it under pressure.
A 2018 Women’s Refuge study of 161 women found:
27% were pressured by a partner to have an abortion.
31% experienced violence during pregnancy aimed at causing miscarriage.
International findings are similar. A 2023 U.S. study of 1,000 women aged 41–45, published in the medical journal Cureus, revealed:
67% described their abortions as “accepted but inconsistent with their values and preferences” (43%) or “unwanted or coerced” (24%)
Only 33% identified their abortions as wanted
60% said they would have preferred to give birth if they’d had more emotional or financial support.
“These numbers reveal a hidden epidemic,” says lead author Dr David Reardon. “Only the minority of abortions are freely chosen absent outside pressure.”
Women who reported unwanted or coerced abortions also had higher rates of mental health and quality-of-life problems later in life.
Post-Abortion Grief Is Real — and Often Overlooked
Even within a pro-choice health framework, the Ministry of Health acknowledges that abortion can lead to distress and grief, and that post-abortion support may be necessary. But for many, the help never comes.
Gina says this gap is felt especially in Christian contexts. “As a Christian, I believe the only real healing from abortion is found in Christ. There’s general psychological counselling, but very little biblically-based help in New Zealand. That’s the gap Save One helps to fill.”
The programme will initially be offered to churches. “If we can equip pastors to see who in their congregation might be struggling, they can offer them a safe, structured way forward,” she says. “We’ve pastored for more than 20 years — we know these conversations don’t happen easily, but when they do, they can be life-changing.”
How Save One Works
Save One is a 10-week Bible study in a relaxed, living-room style setting. Participants meet for 90 minutes each week with a trained leader and a support person, working through a book and videos chapter by chapter.
Topics include:
Dealing with stray emotions
Forgiving others and oneself
Understanding God’s grace
Renewing the mind
Remembering and honouring the child lost
Becoming a woman or man of courage.
Each participant receives their own copy of the study book. Sessions involve reflection, discussion, and prayer — with a strong emphasis on confidentiality and a non-judgemental environment.
The programme ends with a celebration night: a shared meal with loved ones, prayer, and recognition of the journey participants have completed. “It’s about helping people find freedom,” Gina says. It is not formal counselling. Programmes will be held across the country where there is interest.
Men are also included. Graham is launching a Save One for Men stream in coming weeks aimed to address the unique grief and guilt men can feel after abortion. Graham has received expressions of interest from men throughout the country about the programme.
Marina’s Story: The Buttons Project
Voice For Life knows the pain that drives the need for programmes like Save One is not theoretical. It’s deeply personal for many New Zealanders.
Marina Young, founder of The Buttons Project, knows that pain well. She was 20 when she became pregnant to her now-husband Peter. “I was scared and confused. Would Peter leave me? Would I be bringing up a child alone? People told us we’d never get ahead in life if we kept the baby. There was much pressure — and no discussion of any other options.”
At the clinic, a counsellor agreed with her anxieties and said abortion was “for the best”. Marina was awake during the 10-minute procedure. “I felt the suction. A part of me died that day.”
She told no friends, and not her parents — it would have been their first grandchild. “There was no place to grieve. I became more withdrawn. Peter was hurting too, but dealt with it inside. We struggled to communicate.”
As their family grew, Marina would look at her children and wonder which sibling their first baby would have most resembled. “Sometimes there are still tears,” she says.
Healing came slowly, as she and Peter learned to grieve together. That healing inspired The Buttons Project — a way for people to commemorate the babies they’ve lost to abortion. “There’s no grave we can visit, no place to lay flowers. This gives people a way to remember.”
Other Support Services
Alongside Save One and The Buttons Project, Voice for Life promotes a number of other post-abortion support services, including:
Rachel’s Vineyard retreats
Pregnancy Counselling Services
Gianna’s Choice pregnancy options and support
Crisis Pregnancy Support – Hāpai Taumaha Hapūtanga
Greenstone Doors Charitable Trust
Hokai Tahi Pregnancy Support Service
Haven Pregnancy Support
Breaking the Silence
For those who have had abortions, breaking the silence is the first step toward healing. The grief after abortion can be complex — mixing relief, sadness, guilt, and longing — but it should never be carried alone.
“Abortion leaves scars you can’t always see,” says Gina. “Save One isn’t here to judge. It’s here to walk alongside people until those scars become part of a healed story.”
For those still carrying the weight of an abortion, the message is simple: there is help, there is hope, and you don’t have to face it alone.
If you’d like more information about Save One or to inquire confidentially about upcoming programmes, contact: gina@voiceforlife.org.nz or graham@voiceforlife.org.nz.