I am not a fan of that well-oiled pro-abortion argument, which goes something like, “Well, what about if the woman was raped?” Rape is a terrible crime and it would be natural for the woman to be initially distraught at a resulting pregnancy – but ending the baby’s life is not the solution.
It’s true, I don’t think that abortion is okay under any circumstance, but that’s because of what it does to the mother, not just the baby. She wounds herself again by acting against her motherhood – something that in itself is good and positive, just like the new life that has been conceived.
And we cannot predict the future: just because that child was conceived in rape, this doesn’t mean they’ll have nothing to offer the world or have any less of a life because of it. Case in point is Miss USA contestant, 24-year old Valerie Gatto, a self-described “product of rape.”
Valerie’s mother was 19 when a man attacked her at knifepoint and raped her behind some buildings, after which she managed to get away. She discovered that she was pregnant and planned to give up the child for adoption, choosing later to keep the baby with the encouragement and support of her family. Valerie grew up in a very loving home, and now after competing in the Miss USA pageant, hopes to spread awareness about sexual assault and educate women on protecting themselves against it.
How inspiring is this story? From the bleakest of beginnings comes someone who is trying to make a difference, and who is living a happy and fulfilled life. And to think that it could have instead been the story of an abortion, followed by the physical and emotional trauma that we know women suffer.
This kind of thing is always tricky – and appropriately so, considering that rape is always wrong, under any circumstances, with many people hurt and affected by it. All I’m saying though, is that when bad does happen, good can come out of it if we give it a chance. Rape is not reason enough to prevent a life.
