Norma McCorvey, under the pseudonym Jane Roe was used as a political pawn in the Roe vs Wade case to legalize abortion. McCorvey's pregnancy was fabricated as a rape when in fact it was not. McCorvey also did not choose abortion, but rather adoption after giving birth to her child. She has since become a pro-life advocate, author, and active Catholic.
Foundress of the March for Life, Nellie Gray left her federal career and coordinated the first March for Life outside of her Capital Hill townhouse. Cardinal Sean O'Malley called Gray the "Joan of Arc of the pro-life movement."I, myself being pro-life have attended this event on many occasions and find that I am always moved by the 'Silent No More' group of men and women who share their personal stories of abortion. We are emotional people moved by personal testimony and I always give these people a lot of credit for sharing something so deeply painful and personal with others so that they may experience healing and bring others to healing.
After working for many years with young woman in counseling situations, I have come to understand that having an abortion is never a desired option. It is often a last and desperate resort for a woman who feels abandoned, worthless, and out of options. She faces a surgical procedure, often alone and keeps silent about it. She is in a dangerous emotional state and often carries the trauma from the entire abortion experience with her. Out of a feeling of guilt many women choose to hide their abortion and do not seek out help, counseling, or healing. I believe that abortion is never good for a woman and that in all cases women deserve better than abortion. Women who have had abortions deserve love and healing and often need to work to regain their belief in their own self-worth.
From the Documentary Bloodmoney, The Business of Abortion.
What about rape and incest? These two horrific instances are inevitably brought up when discussing abortion. First I will give an account of what I have personally observed. Rape and incest are both sexually traumatic encounters in which a woman is violated by means of her private sexual organs; an occurrence in which she is left feeling powerless. A woman in this situation who becomes pregnant and undergoes an abortion adds trauma onto trauma. In the abortion procedure she again encounters a violation by means of her private sexual organs, which is undesirable and painful. The fresh memories of her rape resurface long before closure and healing may occur and the double trauma often causes irreparable damage.
In contrast to this, women I have observed who have continued a pregnancy originating in rape have experienced a cycle of healing, acceptance, and control throughout the pregnancy. Many choose adoption for their child and become empowered by the choices of selecting a family and personally bringing something good out of something bad. This is only a beginning to the healing process, but ends positively rather than negatively and equips the woman with a feeling of empowerment and rising above the victimization. She is left with the control of the situation.
The truth is that there are vastly contradicting statistics on the number of pregnancies occurring from rape depending on the source (1%-5%). There are several factors which make the occurrence of pregnancy low including only 5-6 fertile days per month, high rate of birth control use, perpetrators using condoms to avoid DNA evidence, and high levels of stress. Pregnancy is still a possible outcome however.
This of course leads to the dignity and worth of every human being from conception to natural death. No person is worthless, unwanted, or made in an image and likeness other than that of God. As difficult as it is to look past the trauma of a horrific situation such as rape or incest, the truth is that the child conceived should never be faulted or punished. He or she is no less human, no less capable of achieving the greatness of any other human being, no less worthy of love or life. There are many great human beings who were conceived in rape or incest. Perhaps most famously reported in current news is the Ethiopian daughter of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, Zaharah, who was conceived in rape.
A mother is not faulted who chooses to place her child in a loving adoptive family due to a conception in rape or incest. These women are brave and commendable teachers to all of us who seek to bring light out of our darkest moments.
Nellie Gray Tribute
State Sen. Wendy Davis Fact Check on Rape-related Pregnancies
Mother Says Angelina Jolie's Adopted Daughter Zahara Conceived During Rape
Margaret Sanger, Founder of Planned Parenthood
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