ABOUT

We’re an international co-operative on a mission to provide holistic, stigma-free abortion care and education in our communities and advocate for Reproductive Justice worldwide.

Inspired by experience, built from necessity + created with care.

 

Our manifesto

  • We challenge the narrative that there are good, bad, acceptable or unacceptable abortions; People have abortions, and we support them. We believe in safe, inclusive and accessible abortion care for everyone regardless of age, race, gender, sexuality, religion, disability or socio-economic background. Whatever your reasons for having one, needing one, wanting one, all abortion experiences are unique and deserve the same level of care. Whatever your story, you are welcome here.

  • As a justice-led co-operative, we believe that abortion care, education and conversations should be guided by the folks who’ve had abortions and those who provide care. Dopo is led and owned by an international community of people at the heart of abortion care - those who provide it, receive it, and who through their actions help improve it on a local and global level. These are our members and they all play a key role informing and shaping everything we do.

  • Abortions are personal and activism is relentless; We don’t believe that either should be lonely or isolating experiences, and self-care alone is not the answer. Care is many things and is firmly at the core of our community. We advocate for and actively contribute to societal re-education (with a focus on social justice and our right to bodily autonomy) and enhanced community care (rest, accountability, pleasure), along with inclusive and accessible healthcare to reduce abortion-related stigma and improve abortion support and experiences.

  • We commit to improving systems, developing new tools and facilitating research through collaboration with abortion seekers and providers, advocates and allies (those who are Dopo co-operative members and non-members) to develop care-centred services and stigma-busting education. We are devoted to creating brave, non-judgemental spaces for everyone to receive support, learn and connect.

  • We have the conversations that matter. The ones about silence. About not being seen in a system and about ensuring services see everyone. The ones about not having a choice and also about not having a doubt. The ones about mistrusting our bodies and drawing on the power within. We discuss hope and grief. We talk about the strange guilt that arises from not feeling guilty. We talk about trauma and pain, relief and joy and how although contradictory, we feel it all. We talk about the sex that we have (or not) and the pleasure that eludes us. We discuss fatherhood and motherhood, parenthood and otherhood.

About the co-op

We believe that abortion care, education, and conversations should be guided by the experiences of folks who’ve had abortions and those who provide care, which is why we’ve chosen the multi-stakeholder co-operative society model.

In general, co-operatives (or co-ops) are legal organisational structures that exist primarily to support and benefit their community. They are owned and controlled by their members, with all members having an equal say in how things are done and how profits are spent. Plus, all co-operatives around the world adhere to the 7 co-operative principles and 10 core values - including us!

Dopo is registered in the UK, but led and owned by an international community of folks at the heart of abortion care - those who provide it, receive it, and through their actions help improve it on a local and global level. These are our members, and this could be you!

Join the co-op

By joining Dopo Co-op, you directly influence and build a justice-based abortion care and education community. Becoming a member means you agree to our rules, support our vision and fit into one of our member groups below:

  • Care Community Member

You have completed at least one of our abortion support trainings and/or you have been supported through your abortions by someone trained by Dopo. 

  • Worker Member

You regularly contribute your time and energy to the co-op - whether that’s paid or voluntary.

  • Accomplice Member

You have a demonstrable commitment to challenging abortion stigma, providing inclusive reproductive healthcare or activism in your community.

  • Investor Member 

You (as an individual or nominee of an incorporated or unincorporated organisation) have invested £500 or more to the coop through a grant, donation or through a Community Share Offer.

Want to help us shape the future of abortion care, community and education?

  • Membership can be for anything from £1 a month to more and you can choose to alter your membership subscription or cancel it at any time.

    We never turn someone away because of a lack of funds, so please get in touch if you want to be a member but cannot contribute.

    Paying more for your membership doesn’t mean you can access more care or have more voting rights than someone who pays nothing, we believe access to our community should be universal and non-discriminatory.

Work with us.

Our goal over the next few months is to get the co-op up and running, continue with our existing community work and also create space to start some new projects too. To achieve this, we’re looking to build a small part-time team of abortion movers, shakers and dreamers PLUS a Board of Directors. 

Interested in working with us? We’ll be sharing vacancies soon.

…and finally, why Dopo?

Dopo is the Italian word for 'after', a moment that is far too often forgotten when it comes to abortion. For many, the post-abortion experience is filled with silence, a lack of support and shame. Everything we do here at Dopo, is with the aim of improving the ‘after’.

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