Most states used to have exceptions for abortion laws. They allow women to obtain an abortion in the event that the pregnancy is a health risk to the mother as a result of rape, incest, or an unviable fetus. This is still the case in republican led states, but it may not be the case for long in states like Idaho.
The Looming Ban on Abortion in Idaho
Protestors took to the streets to protest the impending ban on abortion at any point in the gestation period. Idaho is not the only state that might be making the bans, with at least 22 other states poised to take a woman’s right to make decisions about her body away. Most of these states have no exceptions to the ban.
Trigger Laws
Many states have what is commonly referred to as trigger laws. They are not in effect now, but they will be should the high court rule in favour of overturning the nationwide right to abortion. Leaked documents about such a ruling suggest it might happen anytime between late June or early July. It is important to note that states like Alabama and Oklahoma have already enacted abortion bans with no exceptions.
Although this law does not currently hold up in federal court, this might not be the case in a few weeks if the high court goes through with the ruling. States like Louisiana, Missouri, Florida, Kentucky, Arizona, Texas, Tennessee and South Dakota all have trigger laws that lack any exceptions for rape or incest.
A survey revealed that just 10% of US adults support the current trigger laws. When further questioned, only 8% of these believe that abortion should be illegal, with no exceptions provided. About 27% of people in the United States believe that if abortion was legal most of it would be done without good cause and reason.
The Risk of Banning Abortion Without Any Exceptions
If states like Idaho prevent women from getting a legal abortion, it stands to reason that women will seek out illegal abortions, which are risky and unregulated. These procedures could hurt the mother and lead to her inability to conceive and carry a pregnancy to term. And if the worst happens, the mother can loose her life.
Takes From Both Sides of the Camp
Conservatives argue that rape victims have an opportunity to birth a child resulting from the crime and teach it to live a better life and become a productive human. In addition, they have been cited using the slogan “don’t punish the baby for the father’s crime.”
On the other hand, Republicans have argued that a resulting pregnancy only perpetuates the emotional turmoil caused by rape. They say that forcing a survivor of rape to go through the harrowing experience of childbirth would undoubtedly push the victims over the edge leading to possible suicide risks.
The ability to make your own informed decisions about your body, health and sexual life is a fundamental human right. These rights extend to a woman deciding to carry a pregnancy to term or terminate at any time during the gestation period. On the other hand, life is sacred, and abortion should not be touted as a fast solution to poorly made decisions. Who should decide who gets to abort and who doesn’t?
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