In 15 states, abortion restrictions either pending or already in place offer no exception for rape. Those states are Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Louisiana, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Michigan, West Virginia, Arizona, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Florida, and Ohio. Studies show that a rapist has less than a 1% chance of receiving a felony conviction and less than a 5% chance of receiving any form of criminal conviction.
In many jurisdictions, if a mother decides not to keep a newborn, the biological father has the right to seek custody of the child. While some states will set aside these rights even in the absence of a criminal conviction for rape, requiring only “clear and convincing” evidence that an assault occurred, many require a conviction of a crime to do so. Thus, in many states, if a woman chooses not to keep the child, her rapist can obtain custody. In that event, the woman surrendering custody very likely will be forced to pay child support to her rapist. Even if she chooses to keep the child, her rapist can sue for visitation and custody at any time.
I do not see how any fertile woman could choose to vote for a party that would allow such an abomination. I do not understand why the Democratic Party is not presenting the issues in these stark terms. The Republicans have used the remote possibility of a late-term abortion to justify taking away a woman’s right to choose; we should be just as visceral in our response.