A 12-year-old and a 9-year-old were both raped in Pennsylvania and the 12-year-old victim -- just a child herself -- is now pregnant.
The alleged rapist -- Wayne A. Klotz, 47 -- is charged with rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, false imprisonment, unlawful restraint, and corruption of minors. He terrorized the girls and told them that he would hurt them if they told.
And after victimizing this poor child in so many ways, some people -- including 78 Republican candidates -- believe that in cases like this, the victim should be forced to carry this baby.
Even though it could kill her to do so. Even though it will almost certainly ruin the childhood, which has likely already been damaged beyond repair. And even though these candidates have never directly spoken about this specific case, their "pro-life without discrimination" stance means that even in this most egregious case, abortion would be off-limits.
What are they smoking?
But judging from some of the responses to Would You Have Your Rapist's Baby? last week, some readers of The Stir agree:
One commenter said:
The choice is whether or not to kill a person who had nothing to do with the rape and obviously can't be blamed for it. Aside from that, the new baby is not half you and half rapist -- meiosis is not really that simple. The baby is a new individual who does have a right to life. Killing the baby will not turn back the hands of time and undo the rape.
Another said:
Your body -- your choice. Just like with sex. And when that right is taken away from you, there should be punishment. But that doesn't mean a third individual should be stripped of it's right to life either. Regardless of age or stage of development.
Another commenter said:
I have known two women who chose to give birth to their babies conceived by rape, and neither regrets it. In fact, one woman gave hers up for adoption (And still gets updates and pictures) and the other raises her baby with her new husband. Both little girls are beautiful and precious and deserve life. While both women regret HOW they came to be, neither regret that they came to be.
I wonder if they feel the same way about a victimized 12-year-old, a little girl who has already been so thoroughly traumatized, it's hard to imagine she will ever be normal. This child never had a "choice" as to whether or not to have sex and now she shouldn't have a "choice" as to whether or not she should carry the fetus to term?
We should expect this child to go through nine months of pregnancy, using her body, which is likely not even ready for the process, as a vessel for the child of the 47-year-old rapist.
That is the right thing? That is God's plan?
I don't think so.
Do you think this child should be forced to carry the baby?
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Comments 231
I have to ask, how many of you are parents of daughters? Can you honestly make your daughter carry the child of a rapist in her body? Can you honestly bear to see the result of such a travesty? Do any of you realize how much an early teen pregnancy could damage a girl physically? For whatever reason, we women have our periods in our teems..and yet, our bodies are not quite ready to bare children. Pregnancy changes our bodies..so to change what hasn't even begun to fully develope is traumatic in itself. And do you even care how this could socially affect your daughter's? Could you, on your good conscience, force that on your child..and YOUR child's life, for the life that may not be wanted? I personally will never do that to my girls..ever. I personally will educate my girls about how a teen pregnancy can effect them. On this one, I as their mother would make the choice for them, and educate them on why. I won't force my daughters to bare an unwanted child when they are children themselves, no matter how much I do want grandchildren of my own, WHEN MY GIRLS ARE READY.
I've been helping with babies and daycares since I was 3 and a half. I could have easily cared for a child when I was 12. I have a daughter. If she were raped and impregnanted, abortion would not be an option and if her life were in immediate danger then it would be a c-section and hoping the baby was far enough along to survive. I would not for a moment associate the baby with a rapist. I would be perfectly willing to raise the child if my daughter wasn't up to it or if she couldn't stand the thought of being aroud the child because of memories i'd find a good family willing to have an open adoption. A baby is a baby. I'm not religious. I'm agnostic and have been since I was 7. I've loved babies since I can remember and animals too. Not every pro-life person is religious. If I had to pick a religion it would be buddhism because I believe in reincarnation and I think all life is important. I feel guilty picking a flower. All life is important. You can't decide which of the two lives is more important. This girl could do something that results in a cure for cancer or could just lead a completely worthless life while the child you want dead could be the next saint or cure cancer. What makes you think you should be able to decide anything or that you're in any way right?
By the way, I was fully grown by 12. I haven't grown an inch in any way since aside from changes from actually getting pregnant. I know lots of teen moms who have done just fine. They would have been just as good or bad of parents later as they are now. I just saw IB's comment. I'm an independent but you're my kind of person. lol.
P.S. I just want one grandkid out of my children. Period. The less they have, the more resources that can get passed down, and the more wealth my offsprings' offspring can amass. I want my decendants to be rich and I have a savings plan that equals 1 million dollars by the time my husband and I die. Yay!
I am pro-choice, but not pro-abortion; I wish they never had to happen, but sometimes, especially in cases like this, they do. Why is everyone only thinking of the baby in this case? How about the girl? No matter what choice she makes at this point, there is equal possibility her life will be ruined. If she keeps the baby, she is an adult overnight. If she aborts it, possible trauma, if she adopts it out, possible trauma. This child is screwed either way, yet the unborn fetus is the "victim"? What about the girl's parents? She's 12, too young to work. So the parents have to support the baby, which they may not be capable of doing. Babies aren't free, and it's not like the father will be paying child support while in prison. As for adopting it out- there are tens of thousands of kids waiting to be adopted, why does everyone assume this girl's baby will get adopted immediately, and not get bounced thru the system? How many have YOU adopted?
As far as god's will goes... all I can say is if your all-knowing, all-powerful god decided that it was a good idea to have this fetus come to be by a 12 year old child being raped, having her life destroyed, while there are thousands of women who have been trying to conceive for years on their knees every night, praying for a baby...your god is a sick evil SOB and I'm glad I don't believe in him!
Who is to say that abortion on top of everything else wouldn't be just as traumatizing? The "What if's" and questions and regrets and everything else ON TOP OF what she's already going through?
What's wrong with adoption in this circumstance?
I think it's something that should have been taken care of at the hospital after the fact to ensure that she would not end up that way. Concieved by a rapist or not, the baby is not to blame. The best mother I know became one at 14. She is not far off. I don't mean to sound insensitive, but she knew it was going to be a real possibility that she would end up pregnant. She should have taken measures necessary at the hospital to avoid it.
I think it should be her choice.I think people in this country need to start minding their own business .If abortion were made illegal well then we just have people doing it illegally and hurting themselves and we would have more babies thrown in trash cans and more welfare babies, this country cannot even get out of debt. And yet so many idiots are so worried about a complete strangers uterus it is really insane.So if abortion is made illegal who is going to pay for all of these children ? Will we all be taxed more so that we can barely afford our own children ? I swear people just do not think people need to stop trying to make decisions for complete strangers.
no