I am a man, but I cannot imagine waking up everyday and being pregnant because of rape!

[Logical]

So every morning, and all day long you are reminded of the man who raped you.

So every time you felt sick, or tired or sore, you are reminded of the man who raped you.

For 270 days, you get to be reminded of the man who raped you.

And I imagine at times, relive the experience in your head.

I know some women might want to deal with this. But many would not.

That is why it is the CHOICE of the rape victim to decide. Not the damn MEN politicians passing laws.

This is a horrible and tragic thing to do to a rape victim!

Unbelievable!

[Fridays Child]

1. Wish I could rec this a hundred times!

[roguevalley]

12. I wonder if anyone is aware that 31 states grant parental rights to the

rapist.

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2012/08/31-states-grant-rapists-custody-and-visitation-rights/56118/

In the wake of Todd Akin's comments about pregnancy rarely resulting from "legitimate rape," lawyer Shauna Prewitt highlights a reality for women in that situation in a column on CNN: In a majority of states, attackers are afforded the same rights as other fathers.

Prewitt, herself a rape survivor who gave birth to a daughter as a result of her attack, explains that 31 states have no laws that bar rapists from seeking custody or visitation rights. For Prewitt that astounding fact is personal. Her rapist attempted to get custody of her daughter, "but thankfully I got lucky and his visitation rights were terminated," she said, according to a profile of her by The Am Law Daily's Brain Baxter. She added: "I'm not sure I would have made the decision I did had I known I might be tethered to my rapist for the rest of my life."

[Fridays Child]

13. Convicted rapists? That's medieval.

Those laws have to go away--period.

[Iris]

2. Was just thinking about this today while stuck in traffic

Thinking about being forced to buy maternity clothes, schedule doctor's appointments, possibly be put on bed rest - all while still going about your normal, daily life. Horrid.

[Logical]

3. So true. Makes me so angry how little thought the GOP puts into this! n-t

[TreasonousBastard]

4. I couldn't agree more...

I'm a guy, too, and won't experience pregnancy, but the thought of it is incredible enough without knowing that life growing in there is almost alien-- not conceived out of love, lust, desire, or even accident, but from a brutal attack.

And then there will be a child. I can't imagine what a mother goes through looking at that child knowing it's origin. Loving your children is programmed into all of us, but that child has gotta screw you up in ways I can't imagine.

Now that we can make it better, to not make it better is as much a crime as the rape itself.

[Iris]

5. To be fair, no one is saying women must raise a child conceived this way.

Just that they cannot end the pregnancy.

[TreasonousBastard]

6. I'm aware of that, but they aren't offering many options...

or making adoptions easier.

[Iris]

8. I don't know that adoptions are difficult from a legal standpoint

However, the emotional aspect would be almost unbearable. After all, genetically, the child is the victim's as well. I can't help but get into excruciating details in imaging this horror. What if the victim already has children? How does she explain being pregnant to them? How would they process that their mother was pregnant but gave their sibling away?

Horrible, horrible situation. Sadly, a reality in some parts of the world. Hard to believe how close we could get to that here.

[Brickbat]

7. When I got pregnant, it galvanized my pro-choice stance.

I was already a monthly supporter of Planned Parenthood and the issue was important to me. However, when I got pregnant, on purpose, by choice, by the man I loved and had married, I couldn't imagine being forced to go through the experience. It was difficult enough to be pregnant, and I *wanted* to be AND I had a *very* easy pregnancy! It's not something to force.

[Logical]

11. Nice post! Thanks! n-t

[4th law of robotics]

9. I don't think there's any disagreement here

that women (victims of rape no less) should be free to have an abortion at their choosing.

[Sweet Freedom]

10. Not to mention

once the child is born, looking into the face of an innocent child who reminds you of your rapist...for the rest of your life.

I can"t imagine how difficult that must that be.

And I can't imagine what a man must experience when the woman is their wife, sister, mother or daughter. How painful for him, too.

[Logical]

15. So true!

[xxxhelal]

14. Spam deleted by Warren DeMontague (MIR Team)

[porphyrian]

16. No one should have to. It's an indefensible position. n/t

[Logical]

17. +1