She had to walk home from her late night job as a waitress. Her last customer was slow in paying his bill and she'd missed the last bus. Her home was not too far away but she did have to walk through a darkened part of town known for its unsavory characters. These were the men that hung out at the xxx rated book stores, the liquor store that stayed open till 4am, and the bars that were often too crowded with intoxicated men, men who had failed to score with any of the female patrons.
She hurried past the doorways, keeping her head down so as not to attract the attention of leering eyes. The aroma of stale alcohol wafted through the open doors and the voices of boisterous male voices floated out to her frightened ears. Picking up her pace she began to fear what she hoped was only her imagination. Without turning around she hurried on just wanting to get home and take a hot bath. The night's chill air bore through her thin coat and she pulled the collar up to ward off the night's dampness.
Nearly halfway home now, she let herself relax a bit. Yet, she could not shake the feeling that someone was behind her, gaining on her. She paused in the dim light of one of the few lamp post that provided scant safety. Lighting a cigarette she turned her eyes back in the direction she had come, seeking the source of her fear. But, darkened shadows hid whoever might be there. Tossing the remains of the cigarette into the gutter she forced herself onward. If she could get to the all night convenience store she would call a cab and ride the rest of the way home, even though it was a mere three blocks away.
She never took taxis; her income was not that flexible. The public bus was her main form of transportation. Yet, tonight she cursed herself for not having done so. In another few hundred feet she would be safely inside the all-nighter calling a cab. She wasn't thinking about the shadowy form behind her until she felt his hand on her shoulder. Before she could scream another hand had clasp itself over her mouth, preventing the scream that might have saved her from what was about to happen. She felt herself being dragged into the dark alley. Unable to see her attacker, she tasted the dirty rag that was forced into her mouth. Her hands were pinned behind her, keeping her from fighting back. She heard the ripping sound of duct tape being torn from the roll, struggling as it was wrapped around her wrists, then her mouth, still choking on the filthy rag.
Her mind fought off the fear that this might not be the end of her ordeal. A few hours later she lay on a hospital bed with nothing more than a sheet to cover her shame. With her legs gapped open for the male doctor to do his thing, she allowed herself to cry silent tears, tears that left streaks through the dirt of her bruised face. Passing nurses mumbled between themselves words that drifted back to her, suggesting that she was a street walker who had tangled with a dissatisfied John. Her embarrassment seemed never ending, like a dream you wake from but can't forget.
The officers asked her repeated questions, almost as if they did not believe her story. Her silent tears gave way to sobs that racked her body. The doctor came in to tell her that, because of the new laws that Palin and McCain had just passed; he could not give her anything to prevent an unwanted pregnancy. He could, however, give her something to help relax her, a sedative to help her sleep.
It was nearly dawn by the time she got home. The hospital had been gracious enough to provide a cab for her. The sedative had taken effect and she nearly collapsed in the shower as she tried in vain to wash off the stench of her attacker. Scrubbing her body with a looffa sponge only managed to leave her skin raw and bleeding in places. The water had turned cold by the time she finished trying to wash away her experience.
Falling into bed she slept through the new day and well into the night. It was nearly 3 am when the dreams began, dreams that recounted the previous night's events with twists and turns and unvoiced screams. She viewed the dream as if standing by and watching it happen to someone else.
Her attacker's face bore the image of a satanic beast, a grin of satisfaction on his face. The next few weeks were a blur, all the same, the dream changing only slightly, the results the same.
At the end of the third week she realized she'd missed her period. Thus began the true terror. She was pregnant with the beast's offspring, an offspring that would carry the genetic traits of her rapist. Unable to bear the thought of giving birth to such a child, a child unwanted, with the possible inherited traits of its father, she took hold of the bottle of sedatives she had been saving and poured them out into her palm. Pouring herself a large glass of vodka she swallowed the pills, gulping them down the contents of the glass, stifling the reflex to vomit up the death she sought.
She had barely enough time to pen an apology to her mother before slipping away.
Although this story is fictitious it shows only one possible outcome of women being forced to bear the offspring of a rapist. No one should be forced to bear children they do not want. To take away the rights of one and give them to an unborn child all because of someone else's religious beliefs is unconstitutional and just plain wrong. It also bears witness to the blending of Government and Religion, something that is not supposed to happen.
I, personally, don't believe I could have an abortion. But, that's my personal choice. I would never want to force my ideals on someone else. No one has the right to force their religious beliefs on another. Nor should the rights of one, in this case an unborn child, supersede the rights of another, such as the unwilling mother. During the first trimester the embryo is not much more than a cluster of cells. To believe that pregnancy has no effect on the mother is just plain stupid. Each pregnancy takes calcium from the mother's bones. It weakens the mother's health, especially after several pregnancies. To force a woman to damage her health for an unwanted child dooms that child to a life of misery. Saying that unwanted babies may be dropped off at special places with no questions asked does not promise that child a loving home or family. It's better to eliminate the problem before it begins. It's far more humane than to thrust a child into a life of abuse or a loveless environment where he'll grow up to be a mentally cruel or emotionally devoid individual.
Sarah Palin has doomed her last child to a life of institutions and a mother too busy to give him the loving care he needs. That's her choice. Yet, how easy it is for her to demand other women, less financially endowed, (so as to have paid help raise that child for them) go through an unwanted pregnancy and give birth to a child they are not emotionally prepared to care for.
To be fair I must add that beyond a certain point it is unethical to have an abortion. Once the fetus is considered viable it should be considered a human being. Limits must be set to protect the life once a heart beat is detected. Therefore, the first three months should be the cut off point. However, rape is not the only reason that abortion could be considered. There is the health of the mother and certain genetic diseases that would doom a child to a life of pain and suffering. Many are not prepared to deal with such diseases, either financially or emotionally.
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