For the record- 12 year old rape victims can and DO get pregnant

[Beaverhausen]

This is an article about the case in Massachusetts that led to passage of the law that all hospitals must provide emergency contraception for rape victims.

***************
Lawmakers hear testimony on emergency contraception
By Theo Emery, Associated Press Writer | April 13, 2005

BOSTON -- When the 12-year-old rape victim and her mother arrived at the hospital, doctors began caring for the traumatized girl. But they didn't mention or offer emergency contraception that could have prevented the girl from becoming pregnant.

Three months later, the girl and her mother were horrified to learn the girl was pregnant -- a story that occurs too often in Massachusetts, according to Dr. Karen Lifford, who recounted the story to lawmakers hearing testimony Wednesday on bills that would increase access to the so-called "morning-after" contraception.

"It's not an uncommon story," Lifford, medical director of Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, said of the girl outside the hearing room. "This is a specific example of a scenario that we see repeated in different forms on a weekly basis."

For two years, lawmakers and supporters have been pushing legislation to increase access to emergency contraception. Last year, the Senate approved legislation, but it stalled in the House and never came to a vote.

more here: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/04/13/lawmakers_hear_testimony_on_emergency_contraception/


So please people, stop supporting this idea that rape victims don't get pregnant and that it's OK for catholic hospitals to not have to give out EC.

[arcane1]

1. "supporting this idea that rape victims don't get pregnant"?

who in their right mind, especially on DU, would make an insane claim like that???

[Beaverhausen]

4. see this thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x646562

[arcane1]

10. I saw that...

your post said "So please people, stop supporting this idea that rape victims don't get pregnant" which made it seem like you were talking to people at DU. It seems in that thread that most if not all responders flat-out rejected that idea

[Beaverhausen]

13. But there are some that agree with it

and there is another thread where posters are saying it's OK for hospitals to withhold EC.

I was angry that ANYONE here would support that preposterous idea, hence my post. I agree my statement was too broad. I'm just sick of seeing women's reproductive rights being taken away bit by bit but at an accelerated pace, especially after all those months of "Roe V. Wade will never be overturned."

[arcane1]

15. gotcha

and agree 100%

[niyad]

2. is there anybody here on DU who actually supports that kind of ignorance?

I thought that was a province of the rw's, led by what had to be one of the most ignorant comments ever, courtesy of rick santorum, who once stated that women who were raped could not get pregnant, because being raped released an enzyme that prevented it.

[geniph]

11. Right, Dr. Santorum, it's a special enzyme

which, curiously enough, science has never actually detected or been able to replicate. Only members of your super-secret society know about it. So obviously all those women who HAVE conceived as a result of rape were lying, and really said yes.

Why do we allow these ignorant assholes to run our country, would someone please tell me?

:mad:

[MuseRider]

3. I could not believe that

when I read that earlier. He was a Doctor and he said that? Where did he get his MD? Bob Jones?

Maybe it is only for Christian girls, you know, divine hormonal interferance? Absolutely stupid.

[BOSSHOG]

5. And the insanity in Mississippi continues

where the fine for performing an abortion (which is murder to "conservatives") is up to $1,000. There is no penalty for the woman. So you can commit murder for a thousand bucks and the person who hired you to murder gets no punishment. Is that inconsistent with their we value life argument?

[gatorboy]

6. Ask Loretta Lynn

she was 12 and a half. (Not raped but at that age pregnancy is possible, regardless).

[China_cat]

9. I worked with teenage pregnant girls

for a while. The hardest case for me personally to deal with was the little girls who was 11 when she got pregnant (by her uncle), and just barely past 12 when she delivered. Her mother told her she got that way from standing too close to a boy and resisted the child getting any biology classes that would have told her the truth. Luckily, the mother didn't get much say as social services put the girl in the care of the home where I worked. She was horrified and finally was able to give evidence against the man who had been abusing her.

If the mother had had her way, the child would have been made to keep the baby as a reminder of her 'sin'.

She was the youngest but at any one time there about 30% of our clients were under 15 and at least 20% of those pregnancies the result of rape or incest...or incestual rape.

[kenny blankenship]

7. Yeah but the sperm is a gift from God

which brings the gift of an 18 year long legal burden, and the gift of a life altering event called a child.

[ramapo]

8. And then there's South Dakota

South Dakota to 12-year-old pregnant rape victim...

TOO BAD

[bleedingheart]

12. There are girls as young as 9 or 10 who can become pregnant

once the girl begins to ovulate and menstruate....she can get pregnant.

[pitohui]

14. only a ninny would support that idea

rape victims get pregnant every damn day and as far as i'm concerned ANY hospital that provides services to rape victims should be required to offer the option of morning after contraceptive to the victim

what an awful thing for a 12 yr old to go thru