Pregancy from rape is rare

THIS MAY BE BECAUSE:

• Many women are infertile at the time they are raped - they may be in the infertile phase of their monthly cycle, too old or too young to conceive

• Trauma from the rape may bring into play some natural defence mechanisms that reduce the likelihood of pregnancy, such as hormonal change and spasms of the fallopian tubes which inhibit ovulation or fertilisation

• Rape does not always involve a complete act of sexual intercourse - ejaculation may not occur - or the rapist may be infertile

• The chance of conception resulting from a single act of unprotected intercourse even between consenting fertile individuals has been estimated at only 2 to 4%

 

BUT IF A PREGNANCY DOES OCCUR...

• Would an abortion allow the victim to forget the sexual assault?

• Would she ever forget that she was pregnant?

• Should an innocent victim (the baby) be punished for another's offence (the perpetrator)?

RAPE VICTIMS NOT PRO-ABORTION

Abortion proponents would have us believe victims of sexual assault are rushing into abortion clinics. However, despite the tragic, abusive and often violent ways their children were conceived, most rape victims chose to give them life.

The opinions, attitudes and beliefs of other people about the rape and pregnancy often make it difficult for the victim to choose any other option. Fear of being blamed or rejected by family, friends or society may make a pregnant rape victim want to cover up what has happened by removing the visible evidence of it.

The Elliot Institute found 73 percent of rape victims chose to give birth to their babies.

In 1981, Dr. Sandra Makhorn conducted a major research of pregnant rape victims in the USA. Of the 37 women, 75 - 85% choose to give life to their children.
Pregnancy and Sexual Assault, New Perspectives on Human Abortion. Makhorn. 1981

Most women in Dr. Makhorn's study felt that abortion was an act of violence and that issues relating to the rape experience, not the pregnancy, were of primary concern in counselling and rehabilitation. The baby is entirely innocent and is not to blame for the crimes of the father. Many women in the study spoke about this and emphasised their desire to protect the innocent child in their wombs from such a brutal death. Lastly, there was a realisation that abortion does not make you unpregnant.

Early in the pregnancy there may be feelings of resentment and hostility towards the child. In her study, Dr Susan Mahkorn found that negative attitudes consistently changed to positive ones as the pregnancy progressed; the overwhelming majority of the women had a positive view towards the child by the time of delivery as well as much improved self-images.