I just read one of the most ridiculous, misleading rationalizations of abortion -- in relation to domestic violence – ever. If the topic weren't so serious, it would be laughable.
Amanda Marcotte, in her rant “Domestic Violence and Abortion: Why Do Anti-Choicers Excuse Abuse?", http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2010/06/30/antichoicers-willing-look-other-while-women-abused tries to argue pro lifers don't care about women because they don't support abortion even when women are impregnated by an abusive partner. The misguided piece was based on a study conducted by University of Iowa professors and Planned Parenthood.
Marcotte says women in abusive relationships are more likely to experience unintended pregnancies, and sabotaging birth control is a common tactic of abusers. Really? Are these the same women Marcotte says are capable of making their own choices regarding abortion, but somehow can't take responsibility for their own birth control?
There's so much disingenuous material here, I don't even know where to begin – but let me give it a shot.
Marcotte claims “anti choicers” promote, “forced
childbirth,” which according to her is not pro-woman because it gives abusers
more of a hold over their victims. While admittedly a child does create more
bonds, you have to wonder: Is the deafening silence of the pro-abortion
community pro-woman when those who chose to have their babies are forced to
abort or even killed by men for refusing to abort?
The news is filled with cases of women who are murdered because they make the
choice to have their babies instead of aborting. Marcotte doesn't lament their
deaths, but instead uses the fact that homicide is the leading cause of death
for pregnant women as justification for termination, arguing that giving birth
to a child makes it more difficult to escape abusive relationships. She says
abortion can be a “catalyst for ending a toxic or even abusive relationship,”
adding that clinic workers might be able to offer resources to women who are in
an abortion clinic as “part of a larger journey of escaping a bad situation.”
So ladies: kill your unborn baby and your domestic violence situation will be solved by the clinic workers! Is she for real? Domestic violence is a heartbreaking and serious situation, and nothing is an excuse for it. Using it to justify abortion is beyond disgusting. Perhaps Marcotte is not aware there are many resources in place for abuse victims. Hotlines, safe houses, orders of protection, and homes for unwed moms are just a few of those available. No woman should ever have to feel she has to have an abortion to get out of a violent situation. No one has a right to act violently against another, pregnant or not.
Marcotte claims pro lifers could create an obstacle for
keeping women safe, and says they stoke the anger of men who are rejected by
their partners. Does encouraging abortion not stoke anger in some men? Again,
she's blinded by the ever-growing attitude of the pro-abortion movement which
has moved from their supposed justification of abortion because of their
concern for women, to enshrining abortion at any cost, even the life of some
women. Maybe she hasn't read about women who are dying at the hands of men for
refusing to abort.
For sure, the cycle of violence in relationships is hard to break out of. Countless women stay in unhealthy relationships because they're afraid to leave, they're confused, or they're clinging to promises and hoping things will change. Some pregnant women may abort because of the violence, but return to their partner, only to get pregnant again, finding themselves in the same situation. How many abortions would Marcotte think is okay before the relationship finally ends? I'm sure she'd say, as many as it takes.
The termination of pregnancies in abusive relationships is not the answer to domestic violence. The answer lies in addressing the violence itself, whether there is a pregnancy or not.
No woman should tolerate abuse, and if she finds herself in an abusive situation she should seek out the help she needs to end the relationship. Contrary to Marcotte's misguided belief that she's pro woman, the only pro I see in her article is pro-abortion.
Theresa Bonopartis
Lumina/Hope & Healing after Abortion
www.postabortionhelp.org
