Persuasive writing - Essay Example

Decriminalization of Rape Rape is definitely an act of sin as it completely destroys the moral integrity and respect of the victim. The physical and mental wounds suffered by the victim due to rape are immense and the misery only increases if the victim gets pregnant due to the act. In many cases the age of the victim could be too young to handle a pregnancy or the women might not be in a position to raise the child on her own. Considering the negative consequences that are associated with such a pregnancy both for the child and the mother many ethical, legal and medical experts have strongly supported the right of every rape victim to abort the child in case a pregnancy ensues.

This would give the victim the right to live a life of dignity and the freedom (End the total abortion ban in Nicaragua, 2010; Feldman, 1998).Rape leaves a lasting impact on the mind of women due to the agonizing physical and mental turmoil that she undergoes during the event. She requires a strong support and the right counseling to help her come out of the situation. Apart from the counseling it is extremely essential to check the women medically for veneral disease and pregnancy. If there is no conception the women should be given suitable medication to prevent fertilization.

However, in case of a pregnancy the women should be given a moral right to decide whether she wishes to continue the pregnancy. Experts have suggested many reasons for supporting this right such as rape is a violation of the women’s right and dignity, it is enforced on the women and not conjugal, and the women cannot be held responsible for the act. Despite the overall consensus that it is morally incorrect to kill innocent people and that a fetus is innocent which has not committed any crime, many people believe that abortion is completely a private matter which should be left to the discretion of the mother.

In cases of pregnancy due to rape this right of the mother is further justified. This is because women of all ages could be subjected to rape. In most of the cases, young girls are targeted and when they become pregnant later on it is almost impossible for them to bear and support the child at that young age (De Bruyn, 2002). In addition there are several health related complications associated with pregnancy at such a young age both for the mother and the child. The child could be born with a low-weight and the mother could suffer from various complications during the delivery.

In addition to the turmoil due to the rape, carrying the child of a man who committed the brutal crime would be a bigger punishment and it would be quite impossible for the girl or women to love and care for the child. The child will also have to face the world bearing the ugly truth that it was born due to a forced rape. This could have several emotional and mental consequences on the child later in life. Hence legal experts argue that since the women has already undergone an ever-lasting injury, pregnancy would only add to the burden.

Instead allowing them to abort the child would have far lesser consequences than giving birth to the child. From an ethical stand point the women did not bear the child willingly and hence is she decides to abort the child it would not be considered to be morally and legally wrong (Feldman, 1998). According to Amnesty International the human rights of women are endangered when they have limited access to information pertaining to legal and safe abortion practices. The organization condemned the criminalization of abortion in three Latin American and Caribbean countries and Nicaragua and joined a campaign to enforce decriminalization of abortion in these countries.

According to the report preventing access to abortion for girls and women is in fact endangering their lives while at the same time demeaning their physical and moral integrity. The pregnancy of rape victims is legal in these countries and if the women want to abort they would have to resort to unsafe abortion practices which could pose a serious risk for their lives. When faced with such difficult situations many women and girls try to commit suicide owing to their unwillingness to face the consequences of childbirth.

Many activists around the world are actively campaigning for the decriminalization of abortion laws in these countries as they strongly believe that women should not be under any threat of imprisonment if they resort to abortion. In accordance with the international human rights every women should be given the right to determine whether they want to have an abortion or not especially in cases that involves rape (End the total abortion ban in Nicaragua, 2010).Reference1. De Bruyn, M. (2002). Human Rights, Unwanted Pregnancy & Abortion Related Care. Ipas. Retrieved 25 May, 2014, from, http://www.ipas.org/~/media/Files/Ipas%20Publications/HRUPregAb.ashx2. End the total abortion ban in Nicaragua. (2010). Amnesty International.

Retrieved 25 May, 2014, from, https://www.amnesty.org/en/appeals-for-action/end-total-abortion-ban-nicaragua-and-safeguard-women%E2%80%99s-and-girls%E2%80%99-human-rights3. Feldman, F. (1998). Rape as a justification for abortion. Retrieved 25 May, 2014, from, http://spot.colorado.edu/~heathwoo/Phil164/feldman_rja.pdf