Pros and Cons of Abortion

Pros and Cons of Abortion

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 mother’s womb. This can be done by almost anyone from the mother herself to back alley abortions and even to abortions specialized clinics set up 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 woman’s right to choose if she wants to have an abortion. These two groups offer different solutions to the 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 view is that abortion is a means of terminating a pregnancy that the mother feels is appropriate. Although abortion is morally and ethically wrong should it be legal for victims of rape or incest who have no other alternative? Or should a woman have the right to kill her innocent child as a form of birth control?

There is no real answer to this controversy; there are two sides to it though. The first is the pro-life group. This group does not believe in the abortion factor. To understand where the pro-lifers stand we must first understand its beliefs and reasons for its beliefs. Then we can discuss what their solution to the abortion topic is.

Pro-lifers believe 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 person to come to grips with the argument over abortion in cases of rape and incest (LRC)

Some of those who are pro-life will allow abortion in these distinct cases because they don't know what else they can do for the victim and except it as a rare case. By allowing abortion in these cases it usually does not help the victim instead it only worsens the problem because the victims’ emotional and physical needs are not being met by the trauma of the rape and then the abortion. 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," (Pro-Woman, Pro-Life 6) 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 who has been raped and has become 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." (Pro-Woman, Pro-Life 6) 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" (about.com). This is the story we hear from a lot of women that choose to have an abortion in this situation. Today in our society it is believed by most people that it is the woman’s fault just as much as the man’s 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 victim’s family members or close friends may reinforce these negative feelings. Or they drop the problem and don’t help the victim seek out counseling or other forms of help 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 to heal. Pro-life activist feel that in society today, abortion is becoming the solution to carelessness. Abortion does nothing to help the rape victims, and that is the problem they are trying to address in the first place. Instead abortion encourages the victim to vent their anger out on others. Pro-life also believes that childbirth on the other hand can be a victory. For those victims who chose childbirth over abortion it can be a triumph. The choice can show that the victim is not going to let rape destroy her life. When the needs of a pregnant victim are closely examined it can be shown that abortion is not the answer and is in fact only worsening the problem.

But the worst strain abortion has on the victim is mental strain. Many victims become confused and overwhelmed by feelings they thought they would never have, and don't know what to do. After having an abortion victims thought they had solved the problem, but in fact they had really just started a whole new one. Many victims begin thinking there is something wrong with them and begin to doubt themselves in situations that they would normally be sure of themselves. Others plunge into deep depressions which they don't come out of for weeks at end. This is an example of one of the worst side effects of having an abortion. Most women don't realize it will happen to them because they are too busy trying to correct the immediate problem. Pro-life persons don't have any reason to be ashamed to defend pro-lifers view in the case of rape and incest.

Pro-choice has a different view to this whole abortion controversy. Pro-choice believes that it is the person’s right to have an abortion if they want to and that no one should interfere with that right. Pro-choice activist have many reasons for feeling this way. First, let’s talk about who has abortions and why they have abortions. There are 1.6 million abortions in the United States every year; there is no real special class of people who have abortions. Why does pro-choice feel that abortion is acceptable? Pro-choice believes that the answer is what the woman believes. The most common reason for abortions is when contraception fails. What is a person supposed to do when the birth control method fails? "The