Rape Culture Isn't Current?

"Arkansas Passes a Law allowing Rapists to Sue Victims who want an Abortion"- this article was published 2 days ago.

While this appears to be good news to pro-life supporters by stating, "But the medical procedure (abortions) will become a felony in the southern state, punishable by a $10,000 fine or six years in prison." This clause makes it legal and justified for a husband (presuming he is the baby's father) to file a lawsuit towards the physician or doctor for "injunctive relief"- and therefore the court has to prevent any kind of abortion procedure. In addition to this, the woman's guardians are also able to sue the physician in order to cease an abortion if the woman is a minor.

Again, this appears to be beneficial for pro- life supporters- to end the right to an abortion and emphasize the value of life to the unborn. However, independent.co.uk states, "Although a husband cannot win money in cases of 'criminal conduct' against his wife- namely, spousal rape- he could still sue to block her from having the abortion." Don't let the political phrasing throw you off here, you read this correctly. A rapist or someone who has impregnanted a woman against her will (even incest) is now allowed to have a say...a right in the woman's decision to keep her child or not.

Now before we get hyper political, this is passed the discussion concerning pro life versus pro choice- not anymore- now, it's about our government making excuses for a rapist to continue to have power over a victim's life in her attempt to re-grasp control over her own life again.

We tend to disguise the issue in these types of conversations. This law has not claimed to stop abortions for purposes like the sanctity of life, but it openly allows rapists the opportunity to intervene in the woman's decision.

On the other side, this law is beneficial for opening up the rights for the husbands to have a say for the life of their child, for abortions do affect men too- but the issue in this law is accepting that rape happens without undergoing punishment plus giving them legal rights in controlling the woman once again, as if being raped was not enough to strip away any kind of control she had over her life.

This article is not about my stance on pro life or choice- but the perpetuation of rape culture through the intervention of rapists in victim's lives, another form of re-victimization. A relationship is not a justification for rape.