I was just 19 years old, one year into a four-year university degree that would propel me into a career I love, and in a relationship with someone I would eventually learn was the wrong boy.

I have no regrets, but the shame I felt for my decision nearly broke me.

That shame was not driven by a personal belief against terminating a pregnancy – on the contrary, I strongly believe it is a woman’s right to decide when and if she has a child.

My family and friends, although I refused to tell them at the time, I know would have only offered me love and support.

The shame I felt came from a fear of being judged by society at large and labelled “that teenage girl” who got knocked up.

Protesters like those who harass women outside Albury’s clinic are the type of people who contribute to this pain.

I was living in Melbourne in 2003, but we had similar pests at the clinic I attended.

They say they are committed to preserving life, but what about the lives of the young adults already in the world? These women should not be collateral damage.

NSW politicians have a chance to remove the opportunity for some of this harassment when they vote this week on introducing safe access zones around abortion clinics.

They can be leaders and take a stand, letting women know they should not be ashamed of the choice to have an abortion.

My first words to my boyfriend when I discovered I was pregnant were “I can’t have it”. Then it was “no one can know”.

I pushed my feelings so far down, I no longer realised why I was upset and anxious. (This may sound strange, but trust me … the human brain is a powerful thing and can trick you into forgetting painful times.)

I became disconnected and angry with my boyfriend until our eventual break up led me to tell myself another lie: I should be the happy, upbeat young person society expected. It was exhausting.

This rollercoaster of emotions can be attributed to people like those who protest abortion clinics, but also those who tell women their most important task in life is to have children, and shame anyone who makes a different choice.

I wish I was strong enough at the time to give a big f-you to anyone who questioned me, but the reality is I was at the most vulnerable time of my life and so are the women who attend the Albury clinic.

Each and every one of them deserve to know it is OK to choose not to continue a pregnancy.

It took me about two years to accept that about myself, and I only got there because another friend confided in me that she had an abortion years earlier.

Finally I realised this happened to other intelligent young women and we didn’t have to be thrown into a box of “hopeless teenage pregnancy cases”.

If only we had the support of the people who instead devoted their energy into making us feel shame.

To this day, I have never wished I kept that baby. In the years since my decision, I have slowly told some friends about my choice as a 19-year-old and as expected, they offered love and support.

My message for anyone who has, or is weighing up the merits of having an abortion at the Albury clinic or anywhere else: if you do what is right for you, there is no need to feel shame.

Protesters need to be stopped before they damage the lives of even more women.

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