The Law is a Teacher

I read a bill this morning. If it became law, it would ban abortion after 20 weeks gestation, except in some cases. I appreciate efforts to protect the most vulnerable of society, but exceptions specifically target certain groups or classifications of people.

The law is a teacher. This bill teaches that children over 20 weeks gestation deserve protection from the horrific pain of having arms and legs torn off or their heads and chests crushed at the hands of abortionists. It further teaches that, a similar child who’s unfortunate enough to be the second victim of rape does not deserve to be protected form that same excruciating death.

Another concept this bill would instruct society, is that the victim of rape is not worthy of the same protections either. The risks to women and horror of abortion, especially late term abortion, are well known and will surely be brought to light during the hearing and the public discussion, which will be abundant.

The trauma victim, being humiliated by such a core violation, shall now be ‘expected’ to want to kill her own child and subtly instructed to do so. Her need for support and counseling will be replaced by a further invasion of her body, robbing her of her maternity.

It is very important to note that perhaps, the one person, the mom, who could redeem the situation would be left with the guilt of committing an atrocity against another innocent victim. This could set her up for post traumatic stress responses for the rest of her life.

Young women, especially sex trafficking victims, are the most vulnerable to this kind of legislation. These young victims have been through so much; frequent violent rape, deprivation of food, shelter, and basic needs, and all kinds of abuses. Let us not subject them to further trauma by codifying abortion for them in our law.

Depending on the provisions in a bill, the child is the evidence of the assault that will be destroyed. This would protect the perpetrators and may mean continued sexual abuse of girls and women.

I was not only conceived by a violent rape, but my first child was born as a result of sex trafficking. I am the target of this kind of legislation. I often speak on behalf of my demographic. 

Of course, I’ll ask you to remove the exceptions. These exceptions undermine to premise of the bill. They are discriminatory and unjust. No child should receive the death sentence for the crime of their father.

PS

Here are a few talking points that I use to respond to, “What about rape?”

• There are more humane ways to care for rape victims.
• The child is a second victim of the rape; we should provide care for both of them.
• The humanity of a child is not determined by the circumstances of their conception.
• We trust women to come through the trauma of rape valiantly protecting the second innocent victim.
• The child is not the aggressor. It is not just to kill the child for the father’s crime.
• Women pregnant due to rape deserve extra care and respect, as they navigate through their pregnancy.
• Women pregnant by assault will deal with the trauma for the rest of their lives; they should not have to deal with the aftermath of abortion too.
• Pregnancy is temporary. We are talking about pregnancy that is half over. Abortion is permanent. 
• Adoption is one way a woman pregnant by rape can overcome the trauma and have victory.
• Life after rape is never simple; the complexity of adding a child warrants services, such as counseling and material support, not the additional trauma of abortion.

There is no greater human rights issue. Abortion takes the lives and futures of thousands of people every single day in the US alone. Couple that with human trafficking and we must fight for just laws. Savethe1 is a national organization of people conceived by rape or having conceived as a result of rape. We also have members that have had a poor un-utero diagnosis. They are often targeted as exceptions in law. Let’s work toward laws that protect people without targeting others. Contact us, to help in your state.