To the editor:
The article about the Republican candidate meeting mentions questions about abortion for rape victims which need to be examined.
When a woman is raped, she is the victim of a violent, abusive crime. She is in need of healing, protection, and compassion. She is traumatized, but guiltless. Pro-life pregnancy centers are an excellent resource for someone in such a situation because they focus on long term recovery, not a seemingly quick fix.
Unfortunately, many people pressure rape victims to abort a child conceived in rape, because they assume it would make things easier for the mother. However, it is more likely to add to her trauma.
Dr. David Reardon’s study on pregnancy as a result of assault found that none of the women who chose to give birth regretted their decision, while nearly 80 percent who chose abortion reported that it was the wrong decision.
Destroying a child cannot translate into helping and loving the mother. You can’t hurt one without hurting the other. We can love and help both of them. This is not an abstract concept, but an ideal that can been applied to real people.
Rebecca Kiessling, a pro-life lawyer and activist, was conceived in rape. She says that those who propose abortion for rape are essentially saying she really should not have been born. Her website also highlights stories of rape victims who experienced healing through giving birth, and who experienced regret and grief after child-loss through abortion. Check it out at http://www.rebeccakiessling.com.
Ryan Bomberger was also conceived in rape. His mother gave him life and he was adopted into a large family. He is now a creative professional and founder of the Radiance Foundation: http://www.theradiancefoundation.org/ryan.
How to effectively help a victim of assault is a tough issue for everyone. However, if we are opposed to abortion because we believe it destroys a human life, it would be logical to oppose it in all circumstances. I believe that those women who give their children life in these difficult circumstances are truly pro-life heroes.
Sincerely,
Mary C. Schmiesing
Sidney
