True and False Rapes

In the United States each year, approximately 15,000 women and girls have abortions rather than give birth to a child conceived through rape or incest. This choice, which one supposes is painful and heartbreaking, is not regrettable or shameful, but what is is that even in 2012, a politician still uses a pseudo-scientific argument to hide his ultraconservatism and to deny any right to abortion, whatever the circumstances.

One believes one has gone back centuries when listening to the remarks of Republican senatorial candidate Todd Akin, who said that women’s bodies could prevent pregnancy resulting from a “legitimate rape.” Asked whether he was in favor of abortion in cases of rape, the Missouri politician replied that if he understood doctors correctly, such a situation is very rare.

“If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down,” he said.

What? How can one present an argument today that is so harebrained and so shaming to girls and women who have become pregnant as a result of unwanted, violent and traumatic sex?

To extend his logic, the Republican candidate, who is also a member of the House Committee on Science, could be evoking the length of the victim’s skirt, the depth of her cleavage, her dating past and the time at which the attack occurred to justify the unjustifiable.

His brilliant thesis even lets one assume that if thousands of women have become pregnant as a result of rape, it is surely because they took pleasure in it since their body did not refuse to create new life.

Akin’s words quickly echoed across the country. Democratic President Barack Obama was quick to clarify that “rape is rape.” Republican Mitt Romney, who is aiming for the presidency, and his running mate, Paul Ryan, disassociated themselves from the candidate. Mitt Romney has even said he was shocked by the inexcusable and insulting comments of the aspiring senator. Unlike his running mate and several members of his party, Mr. Romney does not condemn abortion in cases of rape or incest. One may be conservative, but there is a line not to be crossed.

Todd Akin, elected by the voters of Missouri six times, tried to repair his blunder rather than resign, as some are demanding. He first said in a statement that he had chosen his words poorly. He then prepared a video to apologize. However well he may express his deep empathy for women who have been raped, his words ring hollow when he says in the same breath that he strongly believes in the protection of all life and refuses to do harm to another innocent victim.

In other words, abortion is never an option for him. His empathy seems more toward ultraconservative Christian organizations. The rapist should be punished, the child protected. And the raped woman in all this? She has no other choice but to carry this unwanted, brutally imposed pregnancy to term. It is difficult to believe in the sincerity of the “pro-lifers” who want to save the fetus while asking adolescents and women to sacrifice their physical and mental health, and to ruin their lives.

Astonishing and distressing as they are, Todd Akin’s remarks have nonetheless the merit of being clear. Unlike some members of the Canadian Parliament who propose underhanded changes to the Criminal Code to criminalize abortion, the American politician does not hide his strong opposition to abortion under false pretenses.