Abortion - Should Abortion Be Legalized?
Essay by review • October 31, 2010 • Research Paper • 3,126 Words (13 Pages) • 1,581 Views
Abortion is a very controversial subject that has been
continually argued over for the past few years and probably many years
to come. The main controversy is should abortion be legalized? First
before we get into the many sides of abortion we must first define
abortion. Abortion is the destruction of the fetus or unborn child
while the child is still in the mothers womb. This can be done by
almost anyone from the mother herself to back alley abortions and
even to abortions by clinics set up especially for this purpose.
There are two sides to this abortion topic the PRO-LIFE which is those
who are against abortion altogether and the PRO-CHOICE or those who
believe it is the womans right to choose if she wants to have an
abortion. These two groups offer different solutions to problem. The
pro-life solution is to have the child and basically live with it.
They believe abortion is not an answer. The pro-choice solution is
abortion because of reasons they feel are appropriate.
Although abortion is morally and ethically wrong should it be
legal for victims of rape or incest who have no other alternative?
There is no real answer to this controversy, there are two
sides to it though which have been arguing for many years over the
subject. The first is the pro-life group. This group does
not believe in the abortion factor. To understand where the pro-life
stands we must first understand its beliefs and reasons for its
beliefs. Then we can discuss what their solution to the
abortion topic is.
Pro-life believes that rape and incest are very emotional
topics. "They often elicit throughout the population feelings of
revulsion; people draw back from the issue of rape and incest.
People don't know how to handle a person who is in that much pain.
There is no quick fix. That is why it is difficult for even pro-life
people to come to grips with the argument over abortion in cases of
rape and incest."
Some of those who are pro-life will allow abortion in these
cases because they don't know what else they can do for the victim and
except it as a rare case. But it is known that allowing abortion in
these cases usually does not help the victim, instead it only worsens
the problem because the victims needs are not being met.
But what the facts suggest is that only a minority of rape and
incest victims actually choose abortion. This is where pro-life has
its biggest problem. Pro-life states that "Abortion is not usually
chosen as the immediate solution for rape and incest victims but that
is the prevailing belief of the general population. A woman has been
raped and made pregnant: "Oh, she's got to have an abortion." No one
has studied the rape and incest victims needs; abortion is presumed to
fill her needs."
Various studies and research indicate that rape and incest
victims fall into a high-risk category of abortion. But what happens
after a victim has an abortion? Jackie Baker a victim states: "I soon
discovered that the aftermath of my abortion continued a long time
after the memory of my rape had faded. I felt empty and horrible.
Nobody told me about the emptiness and pain I would feel deep within
causing nightmares and deep depressions. They all told me that after
the abortion I could continue with my life as if nothing ever
happened." (Reardon 21-22) This is the story we hear from a lot of
aborted women. Today in our society it is believed by most people
that it is the womans fault just as much as the mans fault, if not
more. many people think women are responsible for contributing to the
rape itself. Then the rape victims feel self-blame and guilt. And
even then a rape or incest victims family members or close friends may
reinforce these negative feelings. Or they drop the problem because
they don't know how to talk about it.
We even see the same thing in the abortion experience. When a
person becomes pregnant because of rape or incest there is a permanent
symbol of the rape, at least until it is aborted. Women who have had
abortions fear being rejected by God and loved ones. It is a very
traumatic experience which takes time. The fact is that you are
really telling your loved ones of a death in the family.
Opinion polls have shown for years that women are more against
abortion
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