In an article in Feminist’s for Life’s magazine “The American Feminist,” an anonymous woman told her story of rape and pregnancy. While abortion proponents insist that no rape victim would want to give birth to a baby conceived in rape, this woman chose to have and raise her daughter and she has no regrets.
The assault occurred when, in the middle of consensual sex, her boyfriend took off his condom, prompting her to tell him to stop. He refused to stop, however, and raped her. She described what happened:
I said, ‘Stop, get off me, you know I’m ovulating,’ and he grinned and continued. I couldn’t get him off me. This was rape as well as a forced conception.
The woman broke up with her boyfriend, and he became verbally abusive. It was clear he would have no part in raising the child. Yet she didn’t want an abortion:
I never considered abortion, for all life is sacred, but I had to deal with the fact that I had a pregnancy forced upon me and I would have no emotional or financial support to raise my child. I was committed to finishing my professional pursuits and did not want another child. Yet I loved all my children, and my heart grew to love this precious life within me.
When the woman went to a rape crisis center, they told her the crime would be impossible to prosecute and suggested she not file charges. By keeping the rape a secret, they said, her daughter could avoid the stigma of being labeled a “rapist’s baby.” Due to the potential stigma for the child and the difficulty of proving rape, the rapist never faced consequences for his actions.
READ: College student who gave birth after rape found ‘a strength within myself I never knew I had’
Because the woman already had several children, she faced rude remarks from strangers and acquaintances. “During my pregnancy, as well as afterward, I’ve had to deal with judgments and comments,” she explained. She was asked, “Why didn’t you just have an abortion?” and told, “You are choosing to have the baby, stop acting like a victim.” People also wondered if she was going to have her tubes tied after the baby was born.
“When people perceive abortion as a viable ‘choice’ for all women, women are actually stigmatized for not ‘being practical’ and making use of this ‘option,'” she said.
In retrospect, this woman is glad she had her daughter, and expressed that she loves her daughter very much:
There has never been a day when I associate the events of her conception with her as an individual. She is such a joy and I feel so blessed.…
I gave birth to my child and stayed on course with my goals. I am in the last year of my professional program. My daughter and her elder siblings are all unique, amazing children.
Clearly, not all rape victims desire abortion, and those that raise their children love them. This story is only one of many of women who choose life after rape.
SOURCE: “ANONYMOUS” THE AMERICAN FEMINIST 2012, p. 12
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