McKellar 1

KyLee McKellar
Mr. Erickson
English 1010
December 1st, 2014
Argumentative Research
Imagine yourself as a fifteen year old girl, a sophomore in high-school, so young yet
bombarded with so many responsibilities. On the cheer team, trying to maintain a 4.0 grade
average, popular, and just trying to fit in. Youd do anything to be known, to be accepted. So
when the most popular guy, and not to mention captain of the football team, chooses you as their
new flame, how could you resist?
Engulfed in the popular lifestyle, and trying to please this teen fling boyfriend of yours,
you get talked, tricked, and forced into giving up the only thing that holds your innocence. Its a
stumbling experience, feeling to blame yet also feeling like the victim. Scared to tell, scared to
keep it a secret, you get into the shower because you just feel so dirty. But he said he loved
you, and that it was the right thing to do, because people who love each other do this type of
thing. Easily fooled, youre pushed into a trap, and feel threatened, for if you told anyone, no one
would like you anymore. You would have no one, youd get kicked off of cheer, youd become a
nobody. So you keep his dirty secret, you keep it hidden that he hurt you. Worst of all, he still
keeps hurting you, every day. Verbally, physically, and emotionally. You become so unstable
that finally the secret comes out, that he raped you.
The whole student body is against you, for getting the star football player kicked off the
team, suspended, and perhaps even jail time. Your teachers treat you different, as if you arent
even there. The ache from hunger became no stranger due to being rejected, isolated, and the

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dirty looks that are never ending at lunch. Forcing you to the bathroom floor where your heart
aches and your sobs are muffled in your baggy sweatshirt. Your throat burning from the retched
acid you force from your stomach, realizing your life is falling apart and you have no one. The
thought of anything that came from him, growing inside your body just sends chills down your
spine. What would you do if you were the victim of this horrible rape, which caused a
pregnancy? With no one to help you, at only age fifteen, and only a sophomore in high-school.
The United States is number fourteen on the list of highest rape cases globally, according
to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network. Even though the United States statistics of
rape and incest arent high, the U.S. Supreme court intervened and in 2007 began the Federal
Abortion Ban. This makes it illegal to abort the fetus in the second trimester (Parenthood). The
problem with the Federal Abortion Ban is that most women find out they are pregnant around
week 8-10, leaving them only a week maybe a week and a half to make the hardest decision
theyve ever come across. Not to mention most women even considering abortion are young,
troubled, and confused. On top of that, the majority of people argue that this is going against a
womans civil rights, saying they should have the right to choose what kind of medical attention
they need, want, and when they want it. The Federal Abortion Ban (no abortions after first
trimester) is the only established Federal law against abortion. Because of this, abortion laws
vary from state to state.
Looking at one of the states with the lowest abortion statistics, you dig into Utah Law and
understand why. In Utah law it states, the physician who is to perform the abortion, in a face-toface consultation, orally informs the woman: the nature of the abortion procedure, specifically
how the procedure will affect the fetus, the risks and alternatives to an abortion procedure, of the
probable gestational age and a description of the development of the unborn child at the time the

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abortion would be performed of the medical risks associated with carrying her child to term
(Legislature). Utahs laws are very humble, and very informative. After the Physician has this
talk with the mother, the physician then leaves the choice to the mother whether to have an
anesthetic administered to the fetus for pain that could be caused from the type of abortion
procedure done. If that whole talk between the Physician and mother was not enough, Utah law
also states that the Department of health posts a video of the information of all abortion
procedures, clips of the gestational stages of the fetus, and lastly parts of the video give the
mother other options that try to pry her away from the thought of abortion such as adoption. The
mother is required to view this video and listen to her other options for the unborn fetus. By Utah
Law the Radiology Tech in charge of the ultrasound during the abortion procedure must ask if
the mother would like to view the images, that will include, The dimensions of the unborn
child, the presence of any cardiac activity, presence of body parts (Legislature). With all that
being said, Utah law recognizes victims of rape, incest, and abuse, and all the laws listed above
are not required to be forced upon a victim if they are choosing to have an abortion.
The United States is a lot more lenient on the sensitive cases of abortion due to rape and
incest. For example, most insurances cover the costs of getting an abortion procedure done for
women whose health is at risk due to being pregnant, or the situations where laws have been
broken and the woman is a victim of a crime that resulted in her pregnancy. In that case were
lucky, in a sense that we get the choice to decide whether or not we get an abortion after being
victims of a horrible crime. But in a lot other countries, millions of women of all ages are faced
with the same situation, but do not even have a choice. In most cases abortion is banned
completely, no exceptions. Take for example the story of an eleven year old little girl from Chile,
who was sexually abused by her step-father. And due to Chiles total abortion ban she was

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forced to carry the fetus, although doctors have confirmed that the pregnancy is putting the
eleven year old girls life at risk, as well as the fetus if carried to full term (Culp-Ressler). The
international laws that completely ban abortion even in the most severe health cases, attack
cases, and moral cases is what makes the situation so controversial. It seems as though you can
never win with the happiness of the population. We can see from the leniency of the United
States that abortion is almost being taken advantage of, and we can see in other countries the lack
of leniency is almost inhumane, and causes even more problems.
Its finding the happy medium thats the hard part. Which introduces the movement for
protective abortion, in which the cases that make abortion legal are rape, incest, sexual abuse,
the mothers health being at severe risk, or the fetuses health being at severe risk if carried to full
term, and lastly cases where laws are broken and results in a woman becoming impregnated.
Creating the movement of protective abortion shows that we have enough leniency to realize, not
all abortion is bad. There are certain situations and times where abortion becomes necessary, and
by making the protective abortion law it would be showing the population that its not something
to just be played around with, that its not something that any woman who just decided she isnt
up for being pregnant can terminate the life of the unborn fetus. The protective abortion
movement would be used only as a last resort or if medically, or legally necessary.
The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network also state that Utah is number thirty three
on the list of highest rape cases nationwide. As a matter of fact, in 2009 a rape was reported
every nine and a half hours in Utah. And nearly ten percent of the female teenage population
confessed to being forced into sexual intercourse. Of those poor women who came out and
confessed they were victims of rape, incest, or sexual abuse, only about 5% together chose to
have an abortion. (RAINN) Most women state that they feel the need to keep the fetus after

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being attacked, that the abortion procedure is too difficult to even begin due to the harsh laws
and stages you have to go through in order to receive one, almost that the procedure becomes
more a hassle than helpful. The point that is trying to get across is that abortion procedures for
victims are hard to get, and not socially acceptable. With the protective abortion movement the
only time abortion would be legal is in the cases of the women being attacked, or their life is at
risk.
Most Pro-Choice supporters would argue that the womans life is always at risk, and
their mental saneness is at risk, so there should always be the choice to abortion. The problem
with that is the protective abortion movement would only protect the mothers who already had a
disability or would develop a disorder from being pregnant. The law would specifically protect
special needs women in some cases for they are usually targeted for sexual abuse (only because
they are not aware of what is going on, or they dont understand sex). With that being said, in
some mental disabilities it would be essential for the law to protect them and make it legal and
socially acceptable to get an abortion, for that they might not even had known they were being
attacked, or perhaps they couldnt do anything about their attack due to their disabilities.
Take the Hale-Crom's story; they have two daughters with cerebral palsy. Neither of the
girls can speak or walk, and have to use a wheelchair to get around. They had been living in
assisted living facility for nearly thirteen years, and in 2005 when one of the daughters was
rushed to the hospital due to stomach swelling resulted in ER doctors finding out the woman
was pregnant. By then, she was more than 28 weeks pregnant. (Breslin) In this case you see
the poor young woman was physically helpless, and although she could have understood what
was happening she couldnt communicate, or try to fend off her attacker, which was an eighteen
year old aid that worked in the facility she lived in. How could you not feel for this poor woman?

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She is attacked, and physically unable to do anything about it, unable to report it because she
cannot even talk, she is helpless. Yet when she becomes pregnant, abortion is still wrong and
she should still go through her pregnancy (as most Pro-Choice supporters would argue).
Pro-Choice supporters argue that its a womans right to decide what happens with her
body. In the protective abortion movement one of the exceptions for abortion to be done are
mental illnesses, disabilities, etc. Pro-Choice supporters argue this and say that some women are
going to become mentally insane from having a baby and should be allowed to get an abortion
when she would like. Of course being pregnant has symptoms, which may include depression,
anxiety, sickness, etc. The truth is though, mostly every woman who becomes pregnant goes
through these symptoms. OB/GYNs can give medication or help with these symptoms for they
are completely manageable, and almost always go away after the baby is born. There is no
scientific information saying that pregnancy causes a woman to become mentally insane, there
are symptoms, and there is postpartum or the baby blues, which is depression after having a
baby, and usually goes away after things settle down with the newborn. Claiming that a woman
will be mentally insane if she continues her pregnancy is a poor excuse, and has no scientific
facts behind it. In fact, statistics show that random abortion actually has more of an emotional
affect than actually having the baby. Guilt, mourning, depression, and anxiety are a few of the
emotions that come with getting a random abortion.
It has impacted my life tremendously and I regret it are some of the testimonials
found in Maria Gallaghers Why I Went from Pro-Choice to Pro-Life. Most of all the
testimonials from women who just randomly chose to have an abortion and are suffering from
some of the following: depression, suicide, overdose, substance abuse, and also infertility or
trouble carrying a child in the future. Its almost unfair that the women who are victims of a

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horrible sex crime that become pregnant, have to go through the same things that a random
woman who just chooses to have a random abortion.
Naturally the side effects of having an abortion will happen to almost everyone who
receives one. The women who were victims of a sex crime are faced with keeping the child of
their attacker, or getting an abortion and have all the side effect of doing so. Including
depression, overdose, substance abuse, depression, suicide, and infertility or having a hard time
carrying their next child to full term. Its unfair that the women who are just aborting the fetus as
a form of contraceptive, are putting a bad reputation on abortion itself when it becomes a
necessity or last resort, and thats where the protective abortion movement comes in. Making it
legal for victims, and when the mothers health is at risk, to abort the fetus. It will protect the
social acceptability of these victims and make it possible to recover from their abuse, and the
pregnancy that was caused from it. Thus, the protective abortion movement would eliminate
random abortions that are only being used as a form of contraceptive, because it would be illegal,
and unavailable to the public.
Because abortions would be unavailable to the public, it will push sex crime victims
into going to the police for help to report what happened to them. If they choose to come to the
police it makes having the abortion easier to cope with, the government provides therapy, and
lots of support. Plus because they were victims of a sex crime most insurances will pay for the
abortion procedure, and other therapeutic movements after the procedure is done. If insurance is
unavailable to the victim, government will step in and help the woman with paying for it, and the
services needed afterword.

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The result of the government putting such a tight leash on abortion laws would be huge.
Of course nationwide abortion rates would be little to none, and the only case that abortion
would be necessary would be for victims, or if the mother or fetuses health is at major risk by the
pregnancy or situations during the pregnancy. Plus it would almost bring the citizens and the
government closer as a whole. Making almost a trust or bond between the citizens and the
government due to the newly formed laws that will make such cases rare and very personal,
making it almost a necessity to become close with the government official helping you through
this tough time. It takes one really tough time to have and fully understand a really good time.
When most people hear about a story of a teenage girl faced with these kinds of things in life
such as getting pregnant, or having an abortion, they are so cruel. The purpose of this paper was
to show the side that no one ever really thinks about, and how we could turn something known as
so awful into something good, a new beginning for victims.
After being a victim in a horrible sex crime the last thing you want is a piece of your
attacker growing inside of you, and there really is no way to describe that feeling until youve
gone through it yourself. Just the thought of the one who hurt you, tormented you, and took away
every last ounce of your innocence and childhood , sends that creepy crawly feeling down your
spine. Let alone the result from the attack is literally sucking the nutrition straight from you,
making you fat and suddenly a whore. Making you physically ill, to the point youre missing
classes from being so sick then get behind, and because of that your teachers suddenly jump
down your throat, taking it upon themselves to try and make your situation even worse.
Threatened with youre not going to graduate youre throwing your life away and of course
the your decisions are leading you down a bad path. your cries are muffled with the food
coming back up you cant keep down. Youre not yourself anymore, youve been hijacked by

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some sort of alien and everyone is blaming you. Saying its your fault, that you were asking for
it by dating a popular guy, or wearing a skirt, or for even having the god given body that we do.
The reasoning behind the protective abortion movement is not only for a better system
regarding the situation but also for the women who actually have to go through it. Its not easy
being portrayed this monster for getting an abortion because of something that happened that
wasnt even your fault. Hell, it isnt easy going through something like a vicious sex crime at all,
let alone becoming pregnant from it and being harassed about what to do with the fetus. The
protective abortion movement is meant to make all abortion illegal except in certain scenarios
and doing that would illuminate the random abortions being used as a contraceptive, which will
pipe down the Pro Life supporters, but it will also leave the option for the women who were
victims of a crime to have the choice to receive an abortion, which in return would pipe down the
Pro Choice supporters, a happy medium.
Thus creating a better system for this oh so controversial subject. So, ask yourself how
you would react to this law being set, no matter what side you come from, Pro Life or Pro
Choice, there is something for you in this protective abortion movement. Lets take a stand to
ending random abortions used only for contraceptive and make it available and socially
acceptable to the people who really need it, such as the victims.

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Works Cited
Breslin, By Angela Rozas and Meg McSherry. Aid Charged In Disabled Patients rape. 3rd November 2005.
5th December 2014.
Center, Rape Recovery. Rape and Recovery Center. 2010. 2nd December 2014.
Culp-Ressler, Tara. 11-Year-Old Chilean Rape Victims Health Is In Danger Because She Cant Get An
Abortion. 7th July 2013. 2nd December 2014.
David C. Reardon, Ph.D. Rape, Incest, and Abortion: Searching Beyond The Myths. 2014. 2nd December
2014.
Legislature, Utah State. Title 76 Chapter 7 Section 305. 2014. December 2014.
Parenthood, Planned. Federal and State Bans on Abortion. 2014. December 2014.
RAINN. Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network. n.d. 2nd December 2014.
Stanford School Of Medicine. Pregancy and Mental Health. 2014. 5th December 2014.
Sutter, John D. Change the list: State where rape is most common. 4th February 2014. 2nd December
2014.
Teen Pregnancy Statistics. n.d. Fifth December 2014.