In the Case of Rape or Incest? 

A few months ago, a participant in our walk-a-thon, 4000Steps sent me an email that she had been tossing and turning all night with a question.  The walker was wondering how to handle the conversation of abortion in the case of rape and incest.  I love that the walkathon causes people to think and ask questions about the Cause of Life.  This type of thinking leads us to true TRANSFORMATIONALGIVING, which changes why we give and how we give of ourselves in light of the gospel!

We thought it would be helpful information that would equip you for such a conversation, or help you process this question yourself before God.

"Hi",

This is a hard question to address because it is so emotionally charged.  I'm not sure if you know this but my Master's degree is in Christian Ethics so between that and my job I have thought about it a lot.  I could be totally wrong but this is where I land when addressing this.

To or about a woman who has been raped, I would be very gentle, compassionate, and understanding.  In my humanity, I can understand why she (or her friends/family) would want to abort and if she did choose that I would give her my shoulder to cry on [not that I condone that choice, I can just understand why/how she would do it].I would also tell her these other things...

1) I would educate her on fetal development, abortion procedures and risks, and her options of parenting and adoption just like anyone else with a crisis pregnancy...she needs this basic information.

2) I would talk about how adoption could bring something redemptive out of this horrific act carried out against her.  While carrying the child would be hard that she would have the emotional and spiritual support of everyone around her and above all else, God will be with her helping her and using the pregnancy as something healing and not something more hurtful.  On the day she blessed a couple who could never have children with this lil baby that the amount of healing that could take place could be astronomical. Overcoming evil with good will always bring healing.

3) I would let her know that studies show that aborting does not help rape victims heal.  The idea behind this is that the woman was an innocent victim who then victimizes of the innocent baby.  It is quite possible aborting, rather than carrying, could heap pain upon pain.

4) I would discuss parenting in a little more depth.  If she chose to parent this baby that good overcomes evil and the baby could be the biggest blessing in her life.  I would probably talk around some other situations where women wouldn't want to become pregnant, the guy is a jerk, etc and how those children are blessings to their mother.

NOW, with someone using the "rape or incest" argument to argue for legalized abortion I would have some different approach but using the same points mentioned above.  Typically, I tell them..."ok, even if I give you 'rape or incest cases' as legal it is still less than 1% of the abortions taking place...what about the other 99% of abortions in the US?"  This usually makes it a moot point in the bigger argument around the abortion issue.  People just arguing about the issue want to use the 1% to justify the 99% and that is simply not logical. Then I tell them about studies that show it hurts rape victims to abort and as them what we do with those of the 1% who now have two traumas to deal with.

Hope this helps?

Amber Lehman, CEO