In recent years, the debate surrounding abortion access has become increasingly contentious. As more states pass laws to restrict or even ban the procedure altogether, the consequences of such legislation are coming to light. According to a recent analysis, nearly 65,000 rape victims are likely to have become pregnant as a result of these laws.
The study, conducted by researchers at the Guttmacher Institute and published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, offers a sobering look at the impact of abortion restrictions on women’s health. The researchers estimate that, had all of the abortion bans passed in the last decade been enforced, an additional 15,000 to 25,000 live births would have been the result. In other words, tens of thousands of women would have been forced to carry a pregnancy to term against their will.
Compounding this issue is the fact that many of these pregnancies would have been the result of rape. According to the study, around one in every five women in the US is the victim of sexual assault at some point in their lives. This means that thousands of rape survivors could have been forced to carry their attacker’s child to term, retraumatizing them further.
Furthermore, the report suggests that the impact of these laws will disproportionately affect marginalized communities. Women of color, low-income women, and those in rural areas are already more likely to face barriers to accessing healthcare, including abortion services. As state after state passes restrictive laws, these groups are likely to bear the brunt of the resulting consequences.
The issue of reproductive rights is deeply complex and nuanced, and it is important to note that opinions on the matter are divided. However, regardless of where one stands on the matter, it is clear that the effects of these abortion bans are far-reaching and potentially devastating. The researchers have called for policymakers to take a more nuanced approach to this issue, one that takes into account the full range of circumstances that could lead a woman to seek an abortion.
Until such reforms are made, however, the study suggests that the impact of abortion restrictions will continue to be felt nationwide. The tens of thousands of women who will be forced to carry unwanted pregnancies to term, including many who have survived sexual assault, may not have a voice in the halls of power – but their stories and their struggles deserve to be heard.
