by In our revived Men and Abortion discussion yesterday I brought up the notion that abortion is really a woman’s issue because no matter what happens to the pregnancy it is the woman and not the man who must persevere and live with the decision for the rest of her life.
Federal approval
of the “morning-after” pill for over-the-counter sales should make
emergency contraception widely available for the first time by the end
of the year, but the new policy excludes the group of women some
doctors say might need it the most — teenagers who aren’t practicing
safe sex.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved Plan B,
casually called the morning-after pill, for sale without a prescription
to women age 18 and older. If taken within 72 hours of having
unprotected sex, Plan B is up to 89 percent effective at preventing
pregnancy.
The decision, which ended a three-year battle within the FDA, was
considered a compromise by pro-choice and women’s health advocates who
had hoped to win over-the-counter approval for all women, regardless of
age.Supporters of Plan B have said making the drug more easily accessible
to all women could cut in half the number of unplanned pregnancies in
the United States every year — a statement that some conservative
groups don’t buy, saying that over-the-counter sales could lead to
sexual promiscuity and, in turn, more unintended pregnancies.
Roughly half of all pregnancies in the United States, or about 3
million, are unplanned. About 820,000 teenagers get pregnant every
year. The pregnancy rate is much lower among teenagers than among adult
women, but supporters of Plan B point out that teenagers are much less
likely than adults to have access to birth control.
I am especially pleased with the FDA approving the Morning-After pill
but I am concerned that the women who need access to this pill the most
— women under the age of 18 — are unable to purchase the pill.
Does a woman under 18 own her own decisions or not?
Should she be able to save herself from an unintended pregnancy?
Does a woman under 18 own her body or not? If not, why not?
How are unintended pregnancies with women under 18 handled in countries
beyond the United States?
In the UK, women who are pregnant and not yet 18 are generally frowned upon. I remember a few years back though when a girl of 12 became the youngest mother on record when she gave birth to her child. The reason for the resulting uproar is the fact that there were 4 possible fathers. The girl’s mother stated that she was going to look after the baby whilst her child went to school, and that her daughter would be taking care of the baby once she came home from school.
I myself had an abortion at 15 years old after I was raped. At the time I never even knew there was such a thing as the morning after pill, and finding out that I was pregnant as a result of this rape came as a huge shock to me.
I really haven’t heard too much about unintended pregnancies on the news in the UK, but I do personally know a lot of women who got pregnant at a young age (15 or 16 years old) that got pregnant after not practising Safe Sex and they made a concious decision to keep their babies. No less than 3 of my friends in high school dropped out after getting pregnant at 16 years old.
The key to this HAS to be Education. When I was in high school we had one class where some woman came in, got all the girls together in a room and basically told us what we needed to know about our reproductive systems and pregnancy. Our parents could sign a waiver form if they didn’t want us to attend this class I don’t believe that one class was enough. There needs to be continuing education, so more girls at least practise safe sex and know the consequences of what may very well happen if they don’t.
What a story, Dawn! Wow! I had no idea about your rape at 15. That must have been a total nightmare and I’m sure it still is in many ways for you.
I agree education and openness is paramount. In the USA it seems sexual behavior is demonized in some cultures and if something unforeseen happens — like a teenaged pregnancy — the young woman is scorned and unfortunate labels are attached to her.
The problem with that demonization — even with Plan B — is that young women under 18 are still stuck. If they could go to their parents for help or “permission” to get the pill they wouldn’t need access to a morning-after pill.
The young women who are demonized, under 18, and wondering if they are pregnant or not after they had intentional or unintentional sex the night before are those who will continue to suffer in uneducated and unassisted silence.
So the very woman who would most benefit from the morning-after pill is not legally allowed to get it on her own without parental intervention.
The short answer to this is to provide better sex education to our youngsters.
We know that we were sexually active at a young age – we must therefore realise our children will also be sexually active at the same age, if not younger.
We need to remove our *moral* condemnation of sex – we need to make the use of condoms similar to the use of seat belts in cars – in otherwords – something we ALWAYS do.
My view is that if they are old enough to have sex, they are old enough to use condoms and that they need to be able to buy condoms.
I share your concernes about limiting the sale of the morning after pill to those over 18 years old.
Q: Does a woman under 18 own her own decisions or not?
A: Yes – At least in the UK – most decisions about issues of consent – both to sex and medical treatment can be made by people over the age of 16. Young people under the age of 16 can consent to medical treatment if they have sufficient maturity and judgement to enable them fully to understand what is proposed.
Q: Should she be able to save herself from an unintended pregnancy?
A: Yes – Covered by same law above.
Q: Does a woman under 18 own her body or not? If not, why not?
A: Yes –
Q: How are unintended pregnancies with women under 18 handled in countries beyond the United States?
A: The legal situation in the UK is as follows:
Abortion
http://www.ruthinking.co.uk/about_sex/sex_and_the_law/abortion.aspx
“If you’re under 16 and two doctors agree to your request for abortion, you can consent without your parents’ involvement providing the doctor feels you understand the advice and the implications of the operation. However they will strongly encourage you to talk to your parents or an adult you trust. Facing an unplanned pregnancy and abortion on your own is tough and you need and deserve support.”
Morning After Pill/ Emergency Contraception.
According to Channel Four website
http://www.channel4.com/health/microsites/0-9/4health/teenlife/sst_sho_mapill.html
You can get emergency contraception free from:
* A family planning clinic
* A young person’s clinic or Brook clinic
* Most sexual health clinics or genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics
* Any GP who provides contraceptive services
* The accident and emergency (A&E) departments of some hospitals
* NHS walk-in centres
* Some chemists
You can also buy emergency contraception from:
* Most chemists if you are 16 years or over (this usually costs around £24)
* Some privately run clinics, such as British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) and Marie Stopes
The main differencea here being the age of consent for abortion and taking of the Morning After Pill – in the UK it is 16.
I had an abortion at the age of 16 in not disimilar circumstances to the ones you outlined in your previous post. The long silent journey is something that will stay with me for ever.
A morning after pill would have been a much more palatable option for me both physically and mentally. It is not something I either regret or rejoice, it is however something I live with.
Nicola!
Thank you for sharing that amazing information! I appreciate the links and the facts of law you present. I think the UK does this sticky issue much better service than the USA.
I feel for you and the abortion decision you made at 16. It’s terrible that kind of crisis has to be dealt with at that age, but that’s the risk of living and all options for fighting the effects of the living need to be equally made available to everyone without limitation of age or gender.
You’re right about the sliding scale of sexual behavior. When I hear of young kids today thinking oral sex is not sex I begin to realize there is something profoundly different about the community that raised them and the community that raised me.
I wasn’t raised in a tremendously strict culture either morally or religiously or legally — but there was a tacit agreement between young people about what was sexually acceptable and not acceptable. Oral sex was for committed dating not an every day affair.
I like the “two doctors agree” idea when it comes to abortion in the UK instead of “two parents” sort of control method here in the USA.
When you place decisions concerning the best medical interests of minors in the hands of parents instead of doctors you are not serving the best interest of the one in need of care.
It’s always a sad thing to discuss, but what options does a young woman of 14 in the USA have if she is raped by her father or brother or best friend or family member?
She may not want to be humiliated in a criminal trial – and she would be without a doubt if she decides to press charges. She may not want to reveal any names or details to police officers.
What she immediately needs is “morning-after” help to solve the most pressing problem: The possibility of impregnation. To force her away from medical experts because of an arbitrary age limit instead of getting her the help she needs on a human level is crushing and cruel and inhuman and decided by religious fanaticism instead of sound legal and medical reasoning. When you have to face your tormenters for permission seek medical attention then something is very wrong in the system.
I think the morning-after pill and all forms of sexual protection should be provided for free to all young women on the first day of their first menses. To deny the evidence of that new sexual power – no matter what age nature decides to start flowing — is to reject the very essence of creation.
Dawn —
Do you happen to know the Canadian abortion and morning-after pill rights and requirements for women under 18?
I think it is “criminal” to deny the young victims of rape, incest and assault access to the morning after pill. Are they denied access to HIV & STD checks as well ?
Added to this society needs to teach consent – rape and incest and paedophilia must become unacceptable under any circumstances.
I agree with you, Nicola. There is a parental factor at play here, I think: “My child would never do that kind of behavior so why even offer protection from a bad decision my child won’t make?”
To offer that kind of sexual protection – both before and after the sexual act — many in the USA feel, is to provide consent to immoral behavior.
Hormones have trumped morality throughout the history of the world.
Consent is an important word to learn but the definition is lost in the breaking of the act.
There is a society factor as well as a parental factor ………..
It has become acceptable to “screw around”, being sexy at 14 and under is encouraged, it is flaunted all over the television and in the media and in young girls magazines …….
Young girls magazines have problem pages about how to get a boyfriend at 9 years old, how to kiss properly, how to dress to get a boyfriend etc etc. In the UK certain fashion stores had to withdraw bra and panties sets for 7/8 year olds after a furore about the sexualization of children.
Sex and chosen sexuality has become a “right” – what is not being taught is: that with the right to be sexual comes the responsibility of being sexual. The consequences of neglecting the responsibilities that come with these rights are now becoming evident.
I take your point about consent. It needs all to understand the concept and all to act upon it. (which brings us neatly back to parenting skills and the lack of them.)
I’m sorry David, right now I don’t. However, I can talk to Jeff when he gets home and maybe I could ask him to leave a comment here for you later tonight.
That would be super if you could do that Dawn, thanks!!!
Nicola!
Akismet ate you again! I have no idea why it enjoys eating your messages today. Don’t stop posting, though! We need to teach it to leave you the heck alone!
I don’t understand the need — or the want — to “degrade down” sexuality and dating to 9-year olds. It doesn’t make sense. What’s the point? To make them all grow up faster? To impregnate the females? To make “men” out of boys be definition of sexual conquering?
Who are these boys conquering if not your daughters?
There seems to be a desire in some communities to skip childhood altogether and move straight from the toddler years to the teen years: Get them walking away and then driving away and then good riddance! That seems to be the cultural push against our children now.
Braves the wrath of Akismet again ……….. ( maybe it doesent like the topic – sex and children? )
I find the sexualization of children horrid. I think children should be allowed to be children – without all the angst and problems of boy/girlfriend relationship issues – let alone having to cope with sex.
I would hazzard a guess that there is a lot of commercial interest in it …….. it probably started with makeup …. hey there are 15 million 15 year olds – if we sold them all one lipstick a year just think what that would do to our bottom line. ( Lets throw in a few child beauty pagents here to help it along )
I agree with your points about pushing children away ………. again it is “lets have a child”, without thinking through the responsibilities of parenthood – and how long they last … and what *good parenting* is all about and the years of hard work involved.
Hey Nicola!
It could be the sex talk that is causing Akismet to choke on you today. The link you posted about sex and law and abortion probably triggered something and then marked you as a possible Spam threat. Oh, well! We won’t be stopped by wonky Spam filters!
😀
Yes, there is a new commercialization of childhood that we didn’t have when we were younger and it is the wrath of MTV on a generation.
When you have hip-hop and rap singers cursing and posting blatantly sexual videos and grotesque lyrics on a mainstream television program that is branded to be “hot” and “the in-thing” then those affected by the “culture of the now” become corrupted by its own bad taste morality and suddenly we’re all swimming in the pool of Bitches and Hoes:
http://urbansemiotic.com/2006/03/03/bitches-and-hoes/
I also think the whole child thing has become a possession pressure of society and not necessarily a direct want of the parents. If prospective parents seriously thought about the world in 20 years it would make one really ponder if it is a good idea or not to bring a new life into the threat of a world that is pointing toward being run by Middle East fundamentalists over the next generation. What kind of wrath of a life would that be for a child you want to live free and be strong-minded and independent? Fundamentalism demands conformity and obedience.
It is the rare parent that enjoys the wild youth and wonder of their children. It takes practice and patience and re-learning the mistakes of your own youth to be there for you child without coloring or corrupting the experience as they need to live a life on their own.
Again I think you hit the nail on teh head with your comments on thinking the actions and consequences through when having children – or the responsibilities.
There are a growing number of teenage mothers deliberately chosing teenage parenthood as a lifestyle choice. Local authorities are often obliged to house them and their children. Local authority housing works on a points system where you are awarded points for certain circumstances. Teenage parenthood carries one of the highest set of points. For some it is seen as a short cut to a roof over their own head, independence, their own pad – without the *hassles* of getting a job, working and saving up for a home.
There are far too many pressures being put on our children today. Compared to those of today I had an incredibly carefree childhood.
(For a non- parent – you talk a lot of truths – I think you missed your voacation! – or do you think those truths can only be seen from the outside looking in?)
Nicola —
I agree that a young woman having a baby can be a badge of honor in a society. In the ghetto culture having a child is a sign of fertility and sexuality and, as you suggested, it can be a fast path to public welfare, housing, a child food allowance and other unearned-by-deeds of adulthood that are given instead of gained.
The problem with that cultural mindset is that it is cyclical and the young men in the ghetto — not the fathers of the babies — then move in with a woman to get free room and board.
My childhood, too, was amazingly carefree compared to what I see around me today. Even the Midwest is inundated with cultural pressures and expectations today that are much more fast-paced and adult than what I experienced growing up.
Ha! Janna and I talk a lot about children — and how we love them and appreciate not having them in the time in which we find ourselves living.
Neither of us really had a deep urge to make our mark on the world with offspring. I do think it gives us a certain valuable perspective that those in the midst of the children’s childhood are unable or unwilling to see.
Of course, since we don’t have children, we are easily dismissed for our insights because we aren’t “parents.” That’s always such a strange and ineffective argument against a thought you do not like.
You don’t have to live something to understand something.
You don’t have to be something to have insight into its pinnacles and pitfalls.
If you had to do it to have an opinion on it then men could never talk about women… or animals… or even other men… non-presidents could not discuss the behavior of current presidents… imagination is discounted over direct-experience and since none of us can experience everything, those who favor direct-understanding-only as the only truth and the sole means of fact-gathering are those who are incapable of forming The Big Picture.
Thank you for the ghetto insights ……. something I am not familiar with and have never experienced.
I have a growing theory that often men make better parents when they havent fathered the child – my current partner is probably the best parent my children have had.
I think you may get dismissed because you are right, and that might make those parents in that situation feel defensive !
It might also be like most things – it is often easier to see and understand what is going on when you are on the outside looking in, and when you are not emotionally embroiled in it.
Nicola —
I wish you’d tell us more about your theory that men make better parents when they haven’t fathered the child. Now that’s a wowser of an argument!
It’s funny, though, that I am dismissed HERE. There was a time when this blog started and I was getting a lot of military-wife-mommy-bloggers who would post comments and fight with me about almost everything I said. It was an unwelcome and uninvited assault. They have since been shooed away.
In “real life” I never offer my opinion unless directly asked and I rarely have the opportunity to discuss child rearing — except when I’m teaching and I have to set the ground rules for students to find success in my class. A lot of the terms I put forth for doing well are foreign to them and I have to explain why they are important even though they are new ideas and ways of behaving.
I agree it is easier to understand things when you’re not in the middle of an attack. Some of the greatest education writers and authors concerning children are and were childless and sometimes even unmarried. We all were children once, so that does give a modicum of authority on the matter even though some disagree.
😀
Hi David.
I had a chat with jeff about the Canadian stance of Abortions for teens under the age of 18 and what the stance is on the moring after pill, but unfotunately he didn’t know!
However, I did a little rooting around and found this website. It’s called th pro Choice Action Network, based right here in Sunny Vancouver.
They have a page about abortion for teens, and lots of other things that a woman could ever want to know about birth control, abortion and so on. I get the feeling that this is generally the way that things are run in the province of BC. I don’t know how it is in the rest of Canada.
Anyway, the link is here http://www.prochoiceactionnetwork-canada.org/index.shtml and I shall let you do your own looking and see what you think, because to be totally honest, I don’t know how much of it, if any, is any good.
Take care.
I wish you’d tell us more about your theory that men make better parents when they haven’t fathered the child.
From my personal experience ……… (annecdotal rather than empirical) – and very subjective as to what I constitute to be effective parenting.
I was adopted – I had the best father – and also the knowledge that we were chosen – we were not an *accident* – ie it was a deliberate fathering choice.
My childrens biological father – was pretty useless in a lot of respects. My current partner who has no children of his own is probably the best male parent they have had. My children feel this also.
I know quite a few others that have been adopted who feel similar about their adoptive fathers. I also know adoptive fathers who really make the grade – along with step- fathers who have also stepped into the breech magnificently.
I sadly also know more than a handful of fathers who feel thay have ben trapped by fatherhood, who have had fatherhood impossed upon them, or who have become fathers before they were ready – and this has impinged on their relationships with their children and their ability to be effective parents.
Thank you for the link and for asking Jeff, Dawn! I appreciate it!
Hi Nicola!
Thank you for sharing your beautiful thoughts. It all makes sense!
Thought I would throw in my 2-cents (that’s ‘pence’ to my friends in the UK) on this subject.
First off, your initial paragraph where you state
“abortion is really a woman’s issue because no matter what happens to the pregnancy it is the woman and not the man who must persevere and live with the decision for the rest of her life.”
. . . struck me as too much of a generalization to let it pass. ALL men are not uncaring, unfeeling *ssholes (perhaps most of us, but not all of us ;-))
Secondly, you seem to be assuming that all women consider abortion a ‘terrible’ option — I’ve known more than one woman who has had an abortion, is thankful the opportunity was there and has no regrets.
Anyway, enough of the subplots, what i wanted to say in response to your post and comments is I agree that the morning-after pill is a great thing and hope, as you all do, that it is used “well” and not used by kids as ‘permission’ to have sex. It WILL be abused, we all know that and that’s why the “parenting” point is so important.
Every kid is different due to the child’s parents, environment and experiences (interactions with peers and adults). Every parent SHOULD try to raise their kids to act responsibly and make good decisions but not every parent will. Some try but do it poorly and others either don’t try or have a warped sense of right and wrong and will intentionally choose the same path for their kids that they chose for themselves — the wrong path.
Another great, thoughtprovoking post David!
(P.S., I’m subscribed to your ATOM feed.)
[Comment edited by David W. Boles]
Thanks for subscribing to the ATOM feed. I had to edit your comment. We do not allow cursing here.
I can’t imagine a woman who chooses an abortion would not feel “terrible” after the fact.
My point about “persevering” and “living with the decision” is that the matter is a woman’s burden, not a man’s. He may be empathetic to her situation, but the decision between life and death – and the aftereffects — is in her hands alone.
I personally agree with David. As my first comment states I had an abortion at 15 years old after I was raped.
Even now, I have to live with the knowledge that I killed something that never asked to be conceived in the first place. Yes, I was young, and yes, I was terrified, but there were other options open to me at that time. I just wasn’t told what those other options were.
For the last 13 years, I’ve carried around the guilt of knowing that I willingly killed something that (although conceieved in terrible circumstances) deserved every chance at life.
A man can be sympathetic to a woman’s situation. He may be the best support in the world – but a man will never feel the guilt that I feel, nor will he have to live with that for the rest of his life.
Dawn —
Thank you for continuing to share the reality of your life with us.
I know a lot of women who have had to face the abortion or no abortion choice and whichever path they chose they are all irrevocably wounded in some way by even having to make that decision in the first place.
Nicola,
“I think it is “criminal” to deny the young victims of rape, incest and assault access to the morning after pill. Are they denied access to HIV & STD checks as well ?”
In the United States we are not able to make legal decisions until we are 18 years of age. Unless of course we seek and receive legal emancipation.
If we cannot legally make the decision to purchase cigaretts or alcoholic beverages, why should an under age (adolescent) woman be allowed to make a major (life altering) decision such as the morning after pill?
I agree “The Morning After Pill” should be available, but only with parental consent. We have an obligation to our children to understand that they will, as we may have, make mistakes.
We should also be teaching our children that their partners should be respected and that members of the opposite sex are not sexual objects for their gratification.
I was with my wife the other day and a 14 year old leaned out of his mothers minivan while driving by and wolf-whistled and made perverse comments directed at my wife. I can only assume his father was driving supporting such behaviour, as I would hope that his mom would have cracked him with a shoe or something.
Education.. Education..Education..
It starts at home.
-CK
CK
Thank you for your comments – and supporting information on such things as the age of consent.
In the UK the age of consent for sex, marriage and buying of cigarettes is 16.
The reality is that there are children as young as 11 are getting pregnant
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=385968&in_page_id=1774&in_a_source&ct=5
I agree with you about education – education – education – teenagers need to be taught about the reposnisbilities that come with being sexually active.
How do those parents that care counterbalance the outside peer pressures that often lead to boyfriends, sex etc ?
How do parents that have lived and experienced similar situations – ie had a child when they were teenagers prevent the cycle ?
This also makes interesting reading
http://www.jrf.org.uk/knowledge/findings/socialpolicy/0336.asp
H David!
I do believe this “MTV” stuff sets a poor standard of behavior for our children to follow. However, I have great concern that when we start making statements such as this that we open the door for ill-placed blame.
“When you have hip-hop and rap singers cursing and posting blatantly sexual videos and grotesque lyrics on a mainstream television program that is branded to be “hot” and “the in-thing” then those affected by the “culture of the now” become corrupted by its own bad taste morality and suddenly we’re all swimming in the pool of Bitches and Hoes:”
So I have to ask. Where were you (the responsible parent) while your child was watching MTV and HBO and selecting poor role models?
It is our responsibility as parents to ensure that we censor what our children are watching and listening to, whether or not they agree with us. Remember, we are their parents, not their peers. We can be friends after they have grown up and live healthy lives full of respect and responsibility.
We tend to treat our teenagers as young adults who are able to make their own good decisions, and then look for a target when blame needs to be cast. The mirror is an ugly source of truth.
Nicola,
Q- How do those parents that care counterbalance the outside peer pressures that often lead to boyfriends, sex etc ?
A- Open door communication policy. Communication has to be honest and sincere by both the child and the parent. Parent’s have an obligation to know their child AND the childs friends. Mitigate the threat through proactiveness. Engage your child into conversation about such topics.
I walked in on my son masterbating a few months ago. I was mortified, so I can only imaging how he felt. I decided to attack the situation instead of candy coating it or making believe it hadn’t happened.
I simply told him we all do it, and it’s natural. However, there’s a time and a place for such things.. He was embarrassed at first, but I fully engaged him encouraging a response.
You see, my communication was honest and sincere and removed the burden of embarassment from his shoulders alone.
Q -How do parents that have lived and experienced similar situations – ie had a child when they were teenagers prevent the cycle ?
I had a child when I was in High School. I try to explain to my children that the decision I made was not a popular decision by anyones standards. And, if I had the opportunity to do it again I would not. I would have waited. I also explain that other areas affected by this decision, which, at a minimum, are financial and social. Acknowledge our mistakes as mistakes and teach our children. I tell them I love them, but definately would have waited.
I think MTV permeates American culture, Cyrptic, and it is impossible to escape its aftereffects even when there is direct parental supervision of the children. How can one escape fresh air except to live under the ocean?
Have your children watched HBO or MTV? If so, were you with them at all times?
CK
Whereas I agree with you totally in principle ……… sadly it doesent happen in practise.
I am constantly trying to find ways of dealing with the *rot* – rather than picking up the peices afterwards. I would much rather help prevent such situations by education that have to resort to unpallitable solutions afterwards.
Too many parents have lost the art of communication with their children – too many external pressures mean that a large percentage of parents only see their children for an hour a day if that.
I also seek to make sure that teenagers who are raped, or abused or co-erced into sex at an early age have acceptable access to choices and health services as soon as possible.
David,
Q- “Have your children watched HBO or MTV? If so, were you with them at all times?”
No, I was not with them at all times, but I make sure they understand that what they are watching is not real. They understand that these people are performers and artists.
My children wanted to have colored hair and saggy pants that expose they’re “briefs.” I told them if I saw them with their pants I’d secure a belt through the loops of the pants and tighten it around their neck.
I also told them when they turned 18 and thought they could make a good decision on colored hair, and/or for ear piercing, that they were welcomed to do so. That is, unless he could provide good justification. That got him thinking.
My oldest has since thanked me for not letting him look ridiculous with colored hair.
You are right it cannot be escaped. But it CAN be controlled with the right approach and mentality.
I have also explained that he should not be having sex without first respecting his partner and only with a condom. And, if there is peer pressure from the partner in any manner, then that person doesn’t respect him or his decision.
Nicola,
“I also seek to make sure that teenagers who are raped, or abused or coerced into sex at an early age have acceptable access to choices and health services as soon as possible.”
Rape and abuse are heinous acts of inhumanity, which deserve their own stage regarding support and medical assistance. But it must still be accompanied by parental consent and responsibility.
It’s my belief that treatment should *follow* criminal report filings. The reason is that too many people are ashamed about the incident and the incident never gets reported. That is a crime in in itself.
I have strong feelings of empathy for any woman who must endure such tribulation, but if the attacker is left to attack again, then isn’t the woman somewhat an accessory to that crime?
My oppinion: If your found guilty of a sex crime, with zero doubt, then you should lose your rights as a human and get treated as the animal you are. Taken out back and shot. Never mind this “he has a mental illness” excuse cr*p.
[Comment edited by David W. Boles]
Please do not curse on this blog, Cryptic.
CK
“Rape and abuse are heinous acts of inhumanity, which deserve their own stage regarding support and medical assistance. But it must still be accompanied by parental consent and responsibility.”
I wish the world was as black and white as you see it – sadly it isnt – and something needs to be in place for those that fall into the gap.
Appologies to everyone. I did not realize the word I chose was a curse in this venue, nor did I realize it would be offensive in nature.
I will refrain from using slang words in the future.
Nicola,
Unfortunately we live in a grey world. As far the world I live in, well, I try to make it as black and white as possible to avoid the confusion of greys. I’m far from perfect, but I try my hardest and try to use my intelligence to compliment my morals and ethics.