ClinicQuotes

Abortion and Child Abuse

Does Abortion Prevent Child Abuse?

One argument for legalized abortion is that it would prevent unwanted children from being born, and therefore prevent child abuse.

When people argue against abortion, they often hear that abortion is a blessing because it prevents unwanted children from being born. These unwanted children, we are told, would be abused and neglected if they were brought into existence. Putting aside for the moment that abortion itself is child abuse, that it is killing a child that already exists and is growing in the womb, statistics do not show that abortion reduces child abuse. It is a myth.

For one thing, the rate of reported child abuse has risen exponentially since abortion was legalized in the 1970s. While it may be true that child abuse is more frequently reported now than it was 30 or 40 years ago, surely we would see some reduction in the numbers if it was true that abortion was preventing children from being abused. At the very least, we would not see such an incredible increase.

Studies have also shown that it is wanted children, not unwanted children, that are more frequently the victims of abuse. Around the time that people were first debating whether abortion should be legal, a pro-choice publication attempted to prove a link between unwanted children and child abuse. However, they were unable to prove correlation. According to the writeup in Eugenics Quarterly magazine:

“There is a contention that unwanted conceptions tend to have undesirable effects… The direct evidence for such a relationship is almost completely lacking, except for a few fragments of retrospective evidence. It was the hope of this article to find more convincing systematic research evidence and to give some idea of the amount of relationship between unwanted conception and undesirable effect on children. This hope has been disappointed.”

This quote appeared in E. Pohlman. “Unwanted Conception, Research on Undesirable Consequences” Eugenics Quarterly, volume 14, 1967, P143

Even a pro-abortion publication, with all the bias that the authors of the study brought to the table, was unable to confirm a link between unwanted pregnancies and child abuse.

It has been suggested that many people who have unplanned pregnancies and originally don’t want the baby grow to love the baby after the baby has been born. Other women put their baby up for adoption and he or she goes to a loving home. It may be the parents of wanted, planned babies that have high expectations for their children and become angry when the children do not fulfill them. They may turn abusive when this happens.

According to a paper put together by the Rocky Mountain Psychological Association, most women who gave birth to a “unwanted” child later say that they are glad they have the child and would go through the pregnancy all over again to deliver them. According to the authors of the study:

“”It is clear that mothers who initially believed their pregnancy to be “the worst thing that ever happened to them” came to feel about the same degree of affection for their children as the mothers who were initially “ecstatic” about the pregnancy.

Most women who were most regretful of the pregnancy now claim that they would have the child again if given the opportunity [whereas] one of every six mothers who were initially pleased with pregnancy would choose not to have the child again.

[They conclude]… Initial feelings about pregnancy are predictive of how a mother will eventually feel about her child only to a very limited degree.”

P. Cameron et.al., “How Much Do Mothers Love Their Children?” Rocky Mt. Psychological Association, May 12, 1972

Child abuse is more frequently related to psychological issues in the mother and/or the father rather than how much the baby was wanted before birth. Most abusive parents were abused themselves as children, others have extreme stresses in their lives or poor coping skills which make them more likely to mistreat their children. It is been suggested by some psychologists that abortion itself may increase the amount of child abuse that goes on. A culture that discards babies before their birth does not value children after their birth. Those who’ve grown up feeling that abortion is acceptable, that one can get rid of the child who is therefore disposable, may lack maternal feeling for a child that is born. After all, most people intuitively realize there is not that much difference between a baby a month before birth and a month after it is born. In addition, women who have abortions may have unresolved issues of guilt that may lead them to abuse children later in life.

Abortion does not solve the problem of child abuse. Rather, abortion is a form of child abuse. Look at this picture of an 8 week-old unborn baby:

Now look at what this baby looks like after an abortion:

Abortion is child abuse because it pulls the arms and legs off babies and crushes their skulls. Nearly every abortion stops a beating heart; every single one tears apart a developing child. Abortion does not prevent child abuse.

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Late Term Abortion Ban in Nebraska Drives Abortionist Out of State

Late term abortionist Dr. Leroy Carhart has left Nebraska after a law was passed banning abortions after 20 weeks.

Citing evidence that unborn babies feel pain as early as 20 weeks, legislators in Nebraska have passed a law banning abortions after this point in pregnancy. Since the law has been enacted, abortions in Nebraska have dropped by 10%. This statistic comes from the Nebraska Health & Human Services Department.

Pro-lifers credit this drop to the fact that one prominent abortionist who practiced in Nebraska for years has left the state. Dr. Leroy Carhart performed late-term abortions at his abortion clinic. After the ban on late-term abortions became official, he packed up and moved to Maryland, where he continues to perform abortions late in pregnancy.

By 20 weeks, an unborn baby is fully developed and many doctors believe he or she can feel pain. If the baby is female, she has a uterus and ovaries of her own. The baby sleeps and wakes, and even dreams – REM eye movements have been recorded in unborn infants of this age. He or she reacts to loud noises and soon will recognize his or her mother’s voice. The only part of the baby that is not fully developed is the lungs – they are not strong or developed enough to breathe air, which prevents the baby from surviving if he or she is born alive. Babies as early as 21 weeks have survived premature birth, but viability (the official time when babies are considered able to survive being born premature) is generally considered to be 23 to 24 weeks.

Pro-life activists who enacted the law were hoping that the pro-choice movement would challenge it in court. Had this happened, the law may have led to the overturning of Roe V Wade, the Supreme Court case that legalized abortion throughout the United States. Pro-choice groups have not taken this step, perhaps because they feared the overturning of Roe V Wade if the court finds in favor of the new law.

Abortion Numbers Down in Wisconsin

The statistics are in for the number of abortions in Wisconsin, and they reveal that abortions have dropped by 9% throughout the state. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, there were 8542 abortions in 2009 and only 7825 in 2010.

There are many possible reasons for this decline. Pro-choice activists usually credit reductions in abortions to increases in the use of birth control. This may indeed account for some lower numbers, as fewer unplanned pregnancies obviously leads to fewer abortions. However, the high visibility of pro-life activists as well as the Internet may also be a factor. Because of the Internet, many people have seen pictures of unborn babies at different stages of development and pictures of aborted babies. These pictures as well as other pro-life information may be swaying more people towards the pro-life position – or least encouraging them to choose life when they become pregnant or have a partner who becomes pregnant.

Whatever the reason for the drop in abortions, it is a cause for celebration. Even many of the most extreme pro-choice activists admit that abortion is a necessary evil, an unfortunate event that should be avoided if possible. Therefore, anyone but the most hardened pro-abortion activist should feel that these numbers represent an encouraging trend in the state of Wisconsin.

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Woman Who Had an Abortion in 1996 speaks out About Her Experience

One woman tells her abortion story:

She became pregnant in 1996.

“…. My husband had no moral concerns about abortion, and we went to the appointment together. I cried a lot, but every time I mentioned a baby, I was told by my husband, and counselor, that the reality was, there was no baby. I was told the children I had were more important.

When I saw the Drs who signed my forms they asked me if I was sure. I said no, but they said well as sure as you can be.
I did have an abortion. I was given a leaflet that said that most women are relieved afterwards, but you can expect a bit of depression.

I am now in counselling, having suppressed the memory of the clinic. It now comes back to me as a trauma I can barely survive.”

http://www.abortionconcern.org/stories/story067.php

According to Planned Parenthood:

“Despite overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary, anti-choice organizations continue to spread the false idea that it is common for abortion to have severe, emotionally negative effects. The fact is that anti-abortion groups have invented this so-called post-abortion syndrome to further their efforts to make abortion illegal and unsafe.”

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/ask-dr-cullins/cullins-ab-5508.htm

Germaine Greer: Women Are Shielded from Reality

Germaine Greer on abortion:

“A ten-week foetus is not pink jelly, but only the woman who loses her baby spontaneously is likely to know how human the tiny creature was and to grieve for it for the rest of her life. Women presenting for [legal] abortion… are shielded from grief… and from guilt.”

Sex and Destiny: The Politics of Human Fertility

http://www.abortionconcern.org/quotes/index.php

to see what this baby looks like after he has been aborted, go here

to read about dishonest counseling in abortion centers, go here

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What I, A Post Abortive Sibling, Wanna Say To The Abortion Minded/Post Abortive Parents

First of all, I do not hate you, judge you, etc. On the contrary, I wanna give you a hug, and tell you that I am here for you. I know that there are people who have left or will do so, when they find out what you are thinking/did.

That’s not me. I know that for many, it is a painful decision, sometimes chosen for you, or because of difficult circumstances. I am so sorry for all the condemnation you have and will likely receive in the future. As much as I am spreading the word about how much abortion can hurt us, siblings, I am also trying to see to it, that all of you are treated with love and respect.

Admittedly, before finding out about mom’s abortion, I gave little thought to the the whole issue beyond feeling it was wrong, and wondering why anyone would choose it (for the most part). But after hearing her story, it made me realize how hard it was for her.

It was during a very dark time in her life, and I could see that nearly 11 years later she was still hurting from it. It also made me remember that I had heard her speaking to a young woman about abortion with such conviction, never knowing that she was speaking from first hand experience. This girl was convinced and has become very prolife since then.

It hurt badly, to find out that we had lost a brother, especially in such a horrible way. But to this day, one of the things that hurts most about it, is that it took place during my lifetime, and I did nothing to help.

I cringe thinking about the things I may have said or done unintentionally that likely caused her great pain. I wish I had been able to comfort her when she found out, and maybe I could’ve done more to help out and what not.

Maybe she wouldn’t have considered aborting. Granted, I was 10, I know, deep down that it was not my fault, but it is still a struggle. I hope and pray that on the day of the abortion, and the day after, etc. I didn’t do anything to hurt her even more than she already was.

I hate knowing that for so many years, she told just a very few people, suffering mostly in silence. And to this day, there are many that do not know. Keeping this silence myself, to some extent, for this amount of time (nearly 7 years) has made me understand how hard it must be for you, especially if you have been silent even longer.

One of my biggest reasons for being in this movement is to encourage people like you to be respected and allowed to share your stories without judgement. You deserve to be able to receive healing and not carry the burden alone, plus you can possibly improve the life of someone else who is going through a similar pain.

Another thing the abortion did to me, was make me so much more sensitive to comments and images. While I believe that abortion does take a life, I am not cool with calling these parents murderers, etc. I believe there are other, more sensitive ways of speaking about it. I also wish that the images were more discreetly displayed, being sensitive to those who are traumatized by their abortions, etc. I aim to treat all of you, as I wish my mom to be treated. And will very often speak up in your defense. Her decision to abort did not make me love her less!

Frankly, I stayed away from the abortion issue for years to avoid the pain, and would love to see things change, so less people would feel that way. But is has made me more understanding of why some would choose the pro choice movement, and desire to respectfully explain how my views have changed over time.

I admire my mom for many reasons. She’s been through A LOT in her life, but has so much more compassion for those in similar situations, and has become less judgemental, etc (not harshing on her before, mind you). My siblings and I are trying to follow that example in the way we see and deal with people.

One of the things I admire most about her, is the fact that she told us about the abortion. That took a lot of strength. She shared with us the abortion date, etc. I’m so happy that that day is no longer a secret, and we can all try to help each other through it, etc. Believe it or not, knowing about what happened, has brought us even closer together, and made me more thankful for the siblings I do have here, as annoying as they can be 😉

I truly hope that by sharing this with you, that those who have not yet shared with their kids from fear or whatever, you can feel encouraged and strengthened. Great healing can come for you and them, and I am there for both. Seriously, I would love to speak to your kids if they felt up to it.

To all reading this, post abortive or non, pro life or pro choice, those in agreement or not, etc. I ask you to be respectful.

This is very personal, and is such an important part of why I do what I am doing, that I may have been a little scattered in writing it. I am sure that not everyone will agree with this, but am sharing this anyway in the hopes that some are affected in a positive way. Please feel free to pass this around to others, if you feel it would be of comfort, etc to them. Thank you in advance, for respecting my request.

*Reposted with permission from: www.survivingsibling.wordpress.com

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Woman Who Was Raped and Had an Abortion Speaks Out

A woman who was raped and had an abortion now regrets it and wants people to stop using rape as an argument to keep abortion legal. She spoke in a pro-life rally in Mississippi.

“I was raped a month before I turned 18. And because of that rape I was so fearful and so shameful that I chose abortion, out of fear. My rape was nothing compared to what I did to my child. What my rapist did to me does not compare to what I chose to do to my baby. My rapist didn’t kill me, I’m standing here alive right now. I have three beautiful children at home and a husband who loves me. But I chose to kill my child out of the shame, out of guilt, out of fear because of what a man did to me. Rape is no excuse for abortion. I want to say that.… Rape, I’m not a victim, I’m not a victim anymore, I’m a survivor. I’m a mother of a child who I aborted who, thank the Lord, is in heaven – and because of Jesus Christ, I’ll be with that child again – and I pray for my rapist every day… But I’m tired, as a person who was raped in a person who had an abortion, I’m telling you right now, I’m tired of using rape as an excuse.… For years I lived in depression, contemplated suicide, attempted suicide, I spend years drinking to numb the pain, to numb the horrific nightmares, was later diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder, not just because of the rape but because of the abortion. I was done with my rape, I was trying to conceive how in the world like I could choose to kill my child. How could I not be strong enough. Who was gonna speak for me as an 18-year-old girl who didn’t have a family to support her. No one did… We have got to speak up, it’s not just about the babies, it’s about the moms like me who think they’re making a good decision but they’re not.”

For the full testimony, watch the video. Religious beliefs expressed in testimonies are not endorsed by clinicquotes.

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Abortionist: Adopt Those “Ugly Black Babies”

Dr. Ashutosh “Ron” Virmani, an abortionist in Charlotte, North Carolina, recently made racist statements to pro-life activists. When they came to his home and were talking about abortion, he said:

“Let’s see you adopt those ugly black babies and get them off the taxpayer’s money.”

Here is a video of him saying it

Karen Garloch “Doctor: Abortion protesters should adopt “ugly black babies” Charlotte Observer Aug 4, 2012

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Interview with Men in Prison Shows That Some Suffer after Abortion

One researcher interviewed men in prison whose partners had had abortions. Their responses show grief and sorrow.

4 married men whose partners had abortions.

“I’m hurting just as bad as she.”

“It’s not the child’s fault. It was wrong.”

“I resent her for doing that. It drew a piece from me.”

“My wife’s abortion about killed me. It was rough. There’s always room for one more.”

Several inmates said the following of their male friends whose partners had abortions:

“He quit school and then lost his job because of major depression.”

“He turned to alcohol. He’s always talking about the baby. He is miserable about the whole thing…”

“My friend went through a lot of pain… Through the years it caused problems. He talked about it several times. Women don’t take the men into consideration.”

Pierce L. Abortion Attitudes and Experiences in a Group of Male Prisoners. Newsletter of the Association for Interdisciplinary Research in Values and Social Change January/February 1994; 6 (2) 1 – 8;pp 1-2

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Dr. Describes Abortion of 18 – 22 Week Old Baby

Abortionist Warren Hern, in his textbook on how to perform abortions:

“[at 18 weeks post fertilization age] it can be a significantly more difficult procedure accompanied by unnerving hemorrhage. Forceps use must be sure and relatively rapid. There is frequently not much time for exploring the nuances of different tissue sensations. Grasping and collapsing the calvaria [upper domelike portion of the skull] are often difficult. Stripping the calvaria of soft tissue is sometimes the first step in successful delivery of this part, followed by dislocation of parietal bones… [From 19 to 22 weeks post fertilization age] A long curved Mayo scissors may be necessary to decapitate and dismember the fetus, since it may be impossible to apply forceps or to do so while avoiding the thinned out cervix.”

Warren Hern Abortion Practice (Philadelphia: J Lippincott, 1990) PP 153 154

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