Family Values: The Unintended Consequences of Disallowing Abortions in the Case of Incest.
The recent supreme court decision overturn Roe v. Wade, coupled with state court trigger laws not allowing abortions for rape or incest create some thorny legal issues.
If a father rapes his minor daughter and it is carried to term, he at once becomes the father and Grandfather. Supposedly, the family that prays together stays together. In a family where the father and grandfather are one, does this increase family cohesiveness and unity? Since rape of a minor is both rape and statutory rape, and in any case punishable by imprisonment, what rights pertain to the rapist-father-grandfather?. Does the rapist-father-grandfather get mandatory visiting rights while in prison? Can the daughter obtain a restraining order against her rapist father who is the child’s father-grandfather?
What responsibilities and obligations to the child does the father-rapist-grandfather’s wife = grandmother have to the child?
Does the daughter get child support. Does the infant get child support from the father-grandfather?
So, it strikes me these are just some of the gnarly problems which will arise pursuant to these preposterous court decisions.
While incest is to common, what happens when the pregnancy is the result of stranger rape?
A court has apparently ruled the rapist has paternal rights.
What is the effect on a woman and the offspring resulting from carrying a rapist’s child to term? How would a woman carrying the result of a forcible rape view the child?
The Hand Maid Justice seems to think adoption would be the solution.
It is interesting to note the mortality rate of a black woman carrying a baby to term is 180% higher than having an abortion.
Howard P. Charman, MD 7-5-2022