Thread: Abortion = Tampering with the Evidence of a Rape?

Originally Posted by ethanwinfield

This doesn't make sense to me. Pregnancy may be evidence of sex but not necessarily rape.

For an underage girl evidence of sex IS evidence of rape, since a young girl cannot consent to sex.

Originally Posted by Alissa_Sal

How would they prove that the abortion was to hide the evidence of the rape without proving that it was forced? I mean, if a dad rapes his daughter and she wants an abortion just because she wants one (understandably, IMO) then the abortion isn't really to hide evidence of the rape. IMO it seems like it would be next to impossible to prove that the abortion was to hide evidence of the rape without proving that it was forced; otherwise I think it's a fair assumption that perhaps the daughter simply didn't want a daily, forever reminder of her ordeal.

I don't think the intent would matter. Unless he tells the clinic to save the evidence he would still be tampering with evidence.

Where do you draw the line with coersion? I think we all agree on the rapists and child abusers, but what about the unemployed boyfriend who says, we really can't afford to have a kid right now? What about the mom who tells her lazy adult daughter, if you want to have a baby then you need to find your own place to live? The decision to have a child sometimes requires discussion by all the parties, and I shudder to think that an honest open discussion about what changes this child would bring, could lead someone into court on coersion charges when a mom decides after the fact that she maybe made the wrong decision. Even worse, as punishment when the boyfriend leaves her. I can see that happening.

And I disagree that he couldn't force his daugther to have an abortion. The threat of violence is just as real as actual force.

Wow, sounds like a real winner that we want raising even more people! I'm flabbergasted that some of you think that a pregnant girl needs to be protected from potentially being forced or coerced into having an unwanted abortion, but don't seem to make the connection that her being pregnant in the first place might be indicative of an abusive or neglectful home, and that having a baby is NOT in her best interest. I don't think having a baby is EVER in the best interest of a 12yo or even 15yo. And I'd say that probably the odds are far greater that she might feel forced or coerced into continuing an unwanted pregnancy than into having an unwanted abortion. Many of you on this board have said if your teenaged daughter was pregnant, that you would not assist her in any way to get an abortion even if she wanted one. That should be illegal IMHO.

Originally Posted by Spacers

Where do you draw the line with coersion? I think we all agree on the rapists and child abusers, but what about the unemployed boyfriend who says, we really can't afford to have a kid right now? What about the mom who tells her lazy adult daughter, if you want to have a baby then you need to find your own place to live? The decision to have a child sometimes requires discussion by all the parties, and I shudder to think that an honest open discussion about what changes this child would bring, could lead someone into court on coersion charges when a mom decides after the fact that she maybe made the wrong decision. Even worse, as punishment when the boyfriend leaves her. I can see that happening.


Wow, sounds like a real winner that we want raising even more people! I'm flabbergasted that some of you think that a pregnant girl needs to be protected from potentially being forced or coerced into having an unwanted abortion, but don't seem to make the connection that her being pregnant in the first place might be indicative of an abusive or neglectful home, and that having a baby is NOT in her best interest. I don't think having a baby is EVER in the best interest of a 12yo or even 15yo. And I'd say that probably the odds are far greater that she might feel forced or coerced into continuing an unwanted pregnancy than into having an unwanted abortion. Many of you on this board have said if your teenaged daughter was pregnant, that you would not assist her in any way to get an abortion even if she wanted one. That should be illegal IMHO.

I agree with your first paragraph. However, maybe I am reading it wrong, but to the bolded. If you are pro-choice, then IMO it should be pro-choice for everyone. No matter what her circumstances a woman or girl should have the final say over her own body. It should never be OK to force or coerce someone to have an abortion.

Originally Posted by GloriaInTX

I don't think the intent would matter. Unless he tells the clinic to save the evidence he would still be tampering with evidence.

But if she wants the abortion, then what, she can't have one because that's tampering with the evidence?

So much going on here. First, I believe abortion is very wrong and should not be legal. However, it is currently legal and that is what we have to work with. When someone goes to their parents/boyfriend/spouse/employer or whoever and tells them they are pregnant in undesirable conditions they are going to advise them one way or the other. They might even advise them strongly and tell them they are going to be out on their ear if they do/don't have an abortion. I believe that is probably a conversation that happens on a daily basis. This is not the same as forcing someone to have an abortion. I agree that you can not FORCE someone to have an abortion unless that abortion happened in a back ally/room somewhere. You can tell them you will brake up with them or kick you out of the house if they do not, but I do not believe that to be against the law (pretty rotten though). I would guess a great many of people having an abortion do so because their loved one is not in support of them keeping the pregnancy and they feel they have no choice.

Originally Posted by ftmom

I agree with your first paragraph. However, maybe I am reading it wrong, but to the bolded. If you are pro-choice, then IMO it should be pro-choice for everyone. No matter what her circumstances a woman or girl should have the final say over her own body. It should never be OK to force or coerce someone to have an abortion.

I am absolutely pro-choice and I recognize that sometimes that means people I think shouldn't be having kids, will have kids. I don't think KIDS should be having kids for all kinds of reasons, long-term physical & emotional health being #1. And I don't believe that someone else's pro-life beliefs and ability to restrict your travel to & from an abortion clinic for two days should be the reason anyone has a baby, no matter her age.

Originally Posted by Alissa_Sal

But if she wants the abortion, then what, she can't have one because that's tampering with the evidence?

The law clearly wasn't intended for that and they have already said they are going to change the wording to make it clear that the law is for the rapist and NOT the victim.

Originally Posted by Spacers

I am absolutely pro-choice and I recognize that sometimes that means people I think shouldn't be having kids, will have kids. I don't think KIDS should be having kids for all kinds of reasons, long-term physical & emotional health being #1. And I don't believe that someone else's pro-life beliefs and ability to restrict your travel to & from an abortion clinic for two days should be the reason anyone has a baby, no matter her age.

The only way you could force a parent to consent to a surgery that had life long consequences is to take them to court and remove their parental rights. You can not even remove a sliver on a minor child without their parents consent, why would you give a minor a major thing like an abortion without parental consent.

In many states, teenagers have autonomy to their reproductive decision-making. If you're "old enough" to have sex, you are old enough to make the decisions that go along with it. It should never be someone else's decision when you have a child. That's why I'm pro-choice and anti-parental consent laws.