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Last Updated: Oct 23rd, 2006 - 13:05:15 |
The Maine
Right to Life Committee comments today on the kidnapping of Katelyn Kamph by her
parents. The Kamph's captured their daughter and were taking her to
New York for an abortion last week. She escaped from her parents at a mall with
the help of local police.
Here are the comments of Rita Feeney, leader of Maine Right to Life.
Sadly, the report in the Maine Sunday Telegram about Lola and Nicholas Kamph who beat then kidnapped their 19 year old daughter in order to force her to have an unwanted abortion is not unusual and certainly not surprising for those of us who track this issue. We are very happy that Katelyn was able to escape, find protection from her abusers, and ultimately maintain her choice to move forward with her pregnancy. She's one of the lucky ones; most coercion goes unreported and is even dismissed when reported. This incident ended well and offers an opportunity for us to address the hidden issue of coerced and unwanted abortions as well as the old myths surrounding the abortion discussion today.
33 years of Roe v Wade has produced hard findings that 64% of abortions involve coercion and up to 83% of abortions are unwanted. I'm sure this statistic will surprise some, because discussion on this issue is usually met with rhetoric and denial and then shut down, but the fact remains "choice" is mostly non-existent and women certainly deserve better than the cards they've been dealt in its name.
Post abortive studies and surveys conclude that 64% of American women who had abortions felt pressured by others. Their coercion included factors such as the threat of a job loss, loss of home and even violent assault. 83% of post abortive woman wanted to have the baby but did not because they received no support from their families, friends, or other support people in their lives. 84% of women who sought counseling prior to their abortion have reported that they received inadequate and false counseling and were indeed often coerced by their counselors. Counselors who were blinded by a desired outcome or profit rather than the best outcome for their patients are themselves abusers. Surveys confirm that in 95% of the cases, men played a central role in the decision to abort.
Husbands, boyfriends and yes, many times even parents, routinely threaten women and young women while physically in the clinic to ensure they have the abortion. Security guards, ostensibly hired to protect clinics from the dangers of pro-life protestors, can and have provided testimony that woman are routinely threatened and abused by their husbands, boyfriends or abusers, who personally take them to the clinics to make sure they go through with the abortion. Yet abortion proponents are not willing to confirm that their patients have made their decision freely and without threat, they say, because the "radical" anti-abortion crowd will use this issue to stop all abortion. Is this position mainstream? Can both sides agree woman shouldn't be subjected to abuse?
Young girls are frequently taken across state lines by sexual predators to avoid detection and to eliminate the evidence; yet again abortion proponents are not willing to support legislation that would require them to report sexual abuse. Again, they claim it's out of concern that the "radical" anti-abortion movement will use this to stop all abortions and invade their privacy. Is there any doubt in anyone's mind that a pregnant 12 year old is a victim of abuse? Can both sides agree that child sexual abuse should be reported?
Millions of woman are coming forward after decades of pain and suffering to speak out against those who still deny their pain. When they sought counseling and information prior to their abortion, they were lied to and told it's a blob of cells, not a baby. It doesn't feel pain. It doesn't have a heartbeat, a brain, or a nervous system. Once they learn the truth many cannot forgive themselves and commit suicide. Others suffer through years of substance abuse and depression because they were denied the right to make an INFORMED "choice.” Yet again legislation that would require abortion providers to provide women with the information they need to make an informed choice, has been consistently blocked. Publication of study after study on this issue has gone unreported. In all medical circumstances, patients are provided with all the risks associated with the procedure, but not before undergoing an abortion.
Luckily, for current and future generations, science and technology is providing young women today with the facts on abortion. The youth of today are more pro-life than their parents and grandparents who were denied factual information. Thanks to technological advances, they've personally witnessed life up close and personal by viewing 4D images of life in the womb, from conception to birth and have solid scientific evidence regarding when life begins. They fact check and are no longer satisfied with slogans and feel good excuses for destroying life in the womb and denial of their first right, the right to life. They see the hypocrisy in the rhetoric and political influence that would impose or force its choice - not theirs. Can we agree that it's a good idea to arm women with critical health information regarding abortion?
31% of women who had abortions suffer from health complications, 65% suffer multiple symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicide rates are 6-7 times higher if woman abort rather than give birth. Women deserve our support when facing an unplanned pregnancy - they shouldn't be forced to choose between their baby, college, a husband, a boyfriend, his parents, her parents, friends, a job, or even the street.
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