Women shouldn’t have to endure trauma to be entitled to human rights

TW: This article references to rape, sexual assault, abuse and abortion.

With the devastating news of Alabama’s controversial abortion law, there’s been a wave of responses. For me, I’ve admittedly surrounded myself with pro-choice, feminists, both in real life and online. My timeline in the last few days have been full of disgust, fear, and sadness — directed towards the fact that women are further being controlled.

My issue spans much further than abortion being banned. It’s the conversations many pro choice-ers are starting about the topic – following a template of “what if a woman [insert horribly traumatic situation here]??”

Let’s make this clear; I believe that abortion is a human right. I don’t believe a fetus is a baby. I believe women should be able to choose when to start a family, when to give birth, and who with. In short, I am pro-choice.

I’d also like to point out that I respect people’s opinions. If somebody says they don’t believe in abortion, I appreciate that. If that same person actively works towards banning abortion for everybody, my respect is immediately lost. To put it bluntly, if you don’t agree with abortion, don’t have one, don’t restrict everybody else.

The response

All that aside, something that I’ve realised, even scrolling through my own feminist-ridden timeline, is that the focus is on women who have endured trauma. Even from those who believe in the right to an abortion.

The question always seems to be “what about in cases of rape?”, or “imagine you have to give birth to your rapist’s baby?” I don’t think this is an acceptable way to look at abortion.

The biggest pro-choice story circulating, at the moment, is the news that an 11-year-old was raped and impregnated. Now she is unable to receive an abortion. Of course, this is heart-shattering news — it’s devastating because a child was abused and exploited, and she’s continually being let down by powerful men.

With the risk of sounding pitiless, this, however, shouldn’t deter our attention that an abortion ban is devastating for all women. Women that made a mistake, women that took all the precautions and still ended up pregnant, women that followed the wrong advice, and women that changed their mind. It’s devastating for women, regardless of whether they were abused or raped.

Rape and abortion shouldn’t not be considered exclusively linked, nor should it be considered as a weird escape route for women.

Importantly, no state in the country overtly supports banning abortion. Data for Progress released statistics showing that the support for banning abortion doesn’t reach 25%, in any state. Reinforcing the idea that this is cataclysmic for all women.

The problem with excluding rape victims from the abortion ban

An estimated 91.6% of rape cases go unreported. So, how would this “abortion only in cases of rape” work? Would the woman have to endure even more trauma and try to prove what happened to her? Would she have to consult the police immediately? Does she have to press charges and go through a lengthy court case? This isn’t realistic, or fair on the woman. Nor does it promise the right resolution. Do you know how hard it is to prove rape?

“An abortion ban is devastating for all women. Women that made a mistake, women that took all the precautions and still ended up pregnant, women that followed the wrong advice, and women that changed their mind. It’s devastating for women, regardless of whether they were abused or raped.”

Secondly, the reason why a woman decides to have an abortion shouldn’t matter. We should trust that she knows her body and mind, and give her control over her own body. If she isn’t ready, mentally or financially, that should be respected.

Why do women have to endure something terrible in her life, for people to consider giving her the respect and the rights she deserves? Why should a woman have to be raped to be able to decide not to have a child?

Why do women have to suffer, to be treated with respect?

It happens in every part of society. We glorify women’s pain, painting her to be strong and defiant — disregarding the fact that women are strong and defiant without being put through torment and torture.

Women are subject to abuse and oppression every day of their lives. As a society, we glorify women breaking through this, instead of condemning the situation they were put in, in the first place.

Take Malala Yousafzai as a shining example. I agree that she is incredibly resilient, and an inspiration. Indisputably, she shouldn’t have been shot for wanting an education — it should never have happened, it shouldn’t have been an issue, and it shouldn’t have taken that to trigger change. Yet, we carry on with this very same discourse.

JK Rowling was a single parent living off benefits, Oprah Winfrey was born into poverty and raped as a child. Why don’t we try to solve the classist and misogynistic society, rather than glorifying two great women for escaping from it?

Every headline about the abortion laws in America says something along the lines of; “Abortion has been banned, even in cases of rape and incest.” Is the latter really necessary?

Every opinion on birth control usually spans to; “women take birth control for health reasons or skin problems.” What is wrong with saying that many women take birth control for sex? Why do women have to be enduring something unpleasant for their reasons to be accepted?

Obviously, it’s not desirable to be in any situation. I want to make this clear; women don’t have abortions or take the contraceptive pill for fun. Both of these are unpleasant. But they’re a choice women make, so they don’t have to carry a baby, give birth, or raise a child when they’re not in a position to do so.

The change needed

We need to change the discourse around abortion. Instead of asking a pro-lifer “what about in cases of rape?”, we should ask “what about the hundreds of thousands of children in foster care?”, “how do you justify gun laws?”, “how will you ensure every working-class child and woman has access to health care and education?”

In fact, we need to alter the dialogue for all women’s rights issues. We shouldn’t wait for a woman to be attacked, abused, or die for change to be made.

I understand that abortion is a tricky subject to talk about. I just want to reiterate; if you don’t believe in abortions, don’t have one. If you don’t have a uterus, don’t control somebody else’s.