So Mother Jones is reporting that Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) wants to redefine rape as "forcible". Because you know, just simply saying "no" or being underage or being so drugged up is just not "good enough" in his eyes.
With this legislation, which was introduced last week by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), Republicans propose that the rape exemption be limited to "forcible rape." This would rule out federal assistance for abortions in many rape cases, including instances of statutory rape, many of which are non-forcible. For example: If a 13-year-old girl is impregnated by a 24-year-old adult, she would no longer qualify to have Medicaid pay for an abortion. (Smith's spokesman did not respond to a call and an email requesting comment.)
So not only will women be forced to pay for their own abortions direct from their pocket outside of any insurance coverage, but also forced to bear the burden of the cost of getting pregnant as a result of rape, because the "forcible" clause is so vague. And because of the vagueness of this provision, just simply having said no to sex isn't enough. It has to be "forced" you see. You know the kind where a guy pulls a knife or a gun on you and jumps out of a dark alley? All that business about statutory rape, incest, and acquaintance rape? That doesn't seem to count because the woman "asked for it" if it's not violent and the perpetrator is not some stranger in a dark alley. Drugged? Well, you should have not drank that liquor that you left on the counter for someone else to spike with a drug powerful enough to knock you out long enough for the rapist to commit his crime and leave. So piss drunk that you can't really consent to sex? Well, you shouldn't have been drinking, you hussy!
If you were manipulated easily because you didn't feel psychologically that you could fight back? Well, you should have taken some self-confidence and self-defense classes and that would buck you right up! If you're an underage teenager and an older man approached you about sex, well. You should know better than to wear that dress that makes you LOOK adult. Your father is into sex with his own underage daughter? Well, you were just too good to pass up and your father has his needs, see and you were convenient.
I have to wonder; do these people ever consider about how they sound when they try to redefine rape for federal abortion coverage? Do these people have daughters and other female relatives, wives, etc.?
I also just love the fact that someone who will never have to deal with the possibility of pregnancy is telling me and other women in this country that our feelings don't matter when it comes to being a rape survivor. As if the fact that the proposed bill Rep. Smith is putting out there to restrict abortion coverage even for women paying for their own abortion coverage with their own money wasn't bad enough, this just makes it that much worse. On the other hand, it further exposes anti-choicers for the sexist assholes they are.