New law will allow a rapist to stop his victim from having an abortion
A law meant to empower the father may be misconstrued and violate a woman's right to health and wellbeing.
While the world is moving towards equal rights for women, a new law under consideration in Arkansas, USA, would allow a man to sue a doctor in order to stop an abortion being performed on his a woman who is carrying his child. While it is meant to allow a husband from stopping an abortion, this empowers a rapist to potentially stop his victim from having an abortion.
The law, called Arkansas Unborn Child Protection From Dismemberment Abortion Act, was signed by the Governor and would come into effect by the end of this year. Under the law, a man can stop a woman from aborting in the second trimester if he is the father. He can do so by suing the doctor. The sad thing is, the conception could have been because of a rape or incest. It would not matter.
This law would face strong opposition from American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and similar advocacy groups that have been trying to get equal rights for women. My take on this is, forcing a motherhood on a woman is not going to be of any use in the long run. However, you may differ in your opinion and I respect that.
If you do differ, there are many in the USA who think like you. They also think that a man should have a say in the abortion. After all, it is his baby as well. And this would have been a valid argument had it been a baby by consent. Consent here would mean that the mother was ready to conceive as well. We will have to wait until the end of this year and see how this plays out.
Are you ready for another child?
This brings us to the next question, are you ready to have a baby yet? If you are reading this, chances are that you are a mother already. Raising kids is not an easy task. You need time, money and energy to raise a kid. Well, to be completely honest, it does take a village to raise a child! So if you ever find yourself in a situation where you are unsure about your pregnancy, here is a quick checklist that would help you make a decision. While these are not reasons to get a medical termination of pregnancy, these are the things you need to consider before you have a child.
- Are you mentally ready for the child? Introspect if you are at the point where you want another child. The first child comes without precedence, and so, everything is new. But now, you know what comes next. Think if you are ready to undergo everything all over again. Chances of Post Partum Depression are higher among mums who are not ready.
- How about the finances? It is becoming increasingly costly to raise a child. Would you need a bigger house? Would you need a new car? Can you take a loan to support these decisions? See if you see yourself taking care of his/her tertiary level education in the field of his/her calling in a country of his/her choice. It may seem daunting but you can always plan your finances towards the education of the child and your own retirement.
- Support and strength. Assess if your spouse/partner is supportive of the decision. See if you have your parents on board when you take this decision. It is not easy to work and take care of the baby at the same time. Find your sources of strength and have a discussion with them if you are unsure.
Mums, a new child is a big decision and a decision that you should take with a certain amount of consideration. If you feel a need to discuss this, get in contact with your doctor and she might be able to get you in touch with a counsellor.
Source: CNN
Also read: “I had an abortion without telling my husband”
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