Could anyone oppose abortion in the case of rape?
Philosophically, it is a difficult question. On one hand, it could be said that even though rape and incest are terrible things for a woman to go through, they do not change the nature and worth of another human being. On the other hand, one has to look at the potential harm done to the victim by being forced to carry a rapist’s child to term.
I know of no law in NY that requires a woman to carry a fetus that is the result of a rape to term. There are provisions in anti-abortion propositions that specifically exclude cases of rape and incest from their purview. Most proposers of laws recognize that without these exclusions, their propositions would stand no chance at all of being passed into law. As to the adoption question, I know of no law that prohibits anyone from putting a child up for adoption. The only regulation I know of is that the person must prove the child is hers to put up.
Personally, I believe that abortion should be avoided where at all possible, the exceptions being where the mother’s life would be endangered by the birth or continuation of pregnancy. However, in the case of rape, in most cases it is not the fault of the woman or a case of negligence, therefore I agree with them having full right to keep the child or give it up for adoption as she wishes, especially as they may not have the ability (mentally, physically or financially) to care for it as they would maybe if it were planned and the product of a loving and stable relationship.
