Neither being pregnant nor ending a pregnancy is a crime. However, forcing someone to bear a child is a crime. Forced childbearing is, in fact, a form of human trafficking which occurs in many countries, cultures and religious communities. Even with our abortion laws, which protect women and girls from this crime, forced childbearing occurs amid the stars and stripes of our landscape due to many factors. Among these are lack of education, fear of social or religious persecution, and poverty of resources. It is errant thinking to believe any or all of these excuse forced childbearing as just -- never does the end justify the means of crime.
If a woman says "no" to pregnancy, "no" means "no." Respect her, respect her right to choose and respect that in America women are protected by law from forced childbearing. Please call your local representatives and ask them to stand with women against this and other forms of human trafficking. Thank you for listening.
Gloria Flor
Ironton
