Does Rape Justify Abortion? Essays -- Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Does Rape Justify Abortion?      Ã‚   Rape is a horrendous crime, leaving a woman in a state of mental, physical, and emotional turmoil. When a woman becomes pregnant as the result of rape (which happens less than 1 percent of the time), abortion will not take away the trauma, the nightmares, the pain -- but it may add to them.    According to a survey conducted by Dr. David Reardon of the Elliot Institute in 1990, the psychological complications of abortion include guilt, nervous disorders, nightmares, and memory loss (over 100 psychiatric reactions in all). Additionally, if there was a pre-existing disordered state (like rape), abortion may cause a worsening of psychological functioning.    Because of problems with our justice system, rapists often walk free without punishment, while the child conceived in rape may suffer the ultimate injustice - death. Abortion supporters have argued for abortion in cases of rape at the expense of the emotional, physical and mental stability of thousands of women, as well as the lives of children.    By the way, in every one of the 56 countries that now have abortion on demand, the initial step taken by abortion-rights activists was the intense lobbying for abortion in the so-called 'hard cases' -- fetal deformity, rape and incest.    The basic question to ask yourself is: "Is there a victim involved in abortion?" There are many who say that there is not, that the preborn child is just a mass of tissue, a part of the woman's body. If this were the case, then no one would have any reason to oppose abortion any more than they would oppose tonsillectomies or appendectomies.    But is that the case? Developments in the science of fetology have given us greater... ... Collins, V. J.   Principles of Anesthesiology. Philadelphia, PA: Lea & Fabiger, 1976. Hamlin, H. "Life or Death by EEG." Journal of the Amedos. Medical A's',, 1W12/84, p. 20. Hooker and Davenport. The Prenatal Origin of Behavior. Kansas: University of Kansas Press, 1952. Noonan, "The Experience of Pain, New Perspectives on Human Abortion." N.p.: A1etheia Books, 1981. p.213. Reinis, Stanislaw and Jerome M. Goldman. The Development of the Brain. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas Publishers, 1980. Rockwell, P.E.,M.D. Director of Anesthesiology, Leonard Hospital, Troy, NY, U.S. Supreme Court, Markle vs. Abele, 72-56, 72-730, 1972. P.11 The Silent Scream. Cleveland, OH: American Portrait Films, 1984. Tanner, J.M. and G.R. Taylor, Time-Life Books. Growth, New York: Life Science Life, 1965. p.64.