Ok, I have to weigh in on this Todd Akin thing…
Here is the quote from Representative Akin
that has him in so much trouble:
“It seems to me, from what I understand from
doctors, [pregnancies from rape are] really rare. If it’s a legitimate rape, the
female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down. But let’s assume
that maybe that didn’t work or something: I think there should be some
punishment, but the punishment ought to be of the rapist, and not attacking the
child.”
Now, if I was teaching a Victim’s Impact class or Criminal
Thinking class in a prison and Representative
Akin was instead Inmate Akin and
he made that statement, I would consider (and probably would) kick him out of
class and make him reapply. I certainly
wouldn’t allow him to receive treatment credit.
His statement was part “Freudian-slip” and part convenient
“science”.
Let’s go with the “science” part. No one believes that the trauma of rape is
any type of “barrier” to protect a woman from pregnancy. Here are the
statistics:
“Statistically, the chance of
getting pregnant from a one-off rape that involved penis-to-vagina penetration
and male orgasm (of course not all rapes do) is about 5%, the same as for
consenting sex under the same circumstances.” RAINN: The nation's largest
anti-sexual violence organization.
”There were around 25 000 pregnancies occurring from rape each year in the US, say studies done in 1998 and 2000. Of those, about 9000 were aborted.” According to the Kaiser Family Foundation Research
”There were around 25 000 pregnancies occurring from rape each year in the US, say studies done in 1998 and 2000. Of those, about 9000 were aborted.” According to the Kaiser Family Foundation Research
This idea that a woman’s body will “fight-off” the sperm of
a rapist is preposterous and no-one (and when I say no one, I mean no one
reputable, or even otherwise) adheres to it.
It was quoted by Representative Akins because it suited him and his
position on abortions for rape victims.
However, for me, the most condemning statement came from the
“legitimate” comment. He has tried to backtrack today, but he said what he
said. He believes that not all reported
rapes are rapes. That is actually true. A small portion of claims are
fabrications, just like the reports of any type of crime, some are false
accusations.
However: I don’t think that is what Mr. Akins meant by it.
In the interview he threw off some very suspect body language as he made his
statement. Maybe he knew he didn’t know what he was talking about. Whatever the
case, he needs some “inner work” in his heart as it comes to rape victims. He needs empathy, which he did not show.
Jesus is very clear in Luke
6:45, “The good man brings good things
out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out
of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his
mouth speaks.”
If Mr. Akins would have said something like, “Rape is a
horrible act and the perpetrators of such an evil crime should be prosecuted to
the full extent of the law, not ruling out the death penalty or life in prison.
The victims of such crimes should be defended protected and supported by our
communities and government in their greatest time of need and the people who
are conceived as a result of a rape have rights. The manner and circumstances
of their conception do not negate their right to life. ” I could have respected
him. He would have at least been consistent in his statements. Instead, he has become one of the most
reviled figures in politics and in the nation…and rightfully so.
I know people who were conceived as a result of incest
(which, is rape.) I came to love them deeply in my heart. I was so sad for
their circumstances, but I was glad they were alive and that I was able to
contribute to their happiness and experience.
I’ll be honest, I‘m torn on this issue.
Mr. Akins is not.
chris
