Recent gaffes from Republicans like U.S. Senate Candidate Richard Mourdock, who said that rape is “something that God intended to happen,” have brought the issue of abortion back into the media with less than two weeks before the presidential election. Former Gov. Mitt Romney, who originally said he would be “delighted” to sign a bill banning all abortions, has softened his stance in an attempt to pander to the women voters he so desperately needs to win the election. However, Romney still favors defunding organizations like Planned Parenthood and vows to repeal Roe v. Wade (1973) if given the opportunity.
A common misconception among conservatives is that being pro-choice makes you pro-abortion. As a pro-choice American, I hope that no mother ever has to abort a child. However, I do think it is a choice best left between a woman and her body, not the federal government. In general, I think liberals and conservatives can agree that abortions are something that we should try to reduce.
Conservatives approach this problem in the wrong way. They focus on bans rather than addressing the underlying problems. If we really want to reduce the rate of abortions in America, then we have to address how we will support women in a way that will either allow them to keep their child after becoming pregnant or by providing them with the necessary tools to avoid unwanted pregnancy.
Providing economic security is one of the largest means of support. In the 1990s, when the economy was roaring, abortion declined at an astonishing rate. But when the economy came screeching to a halt in 2008, abortion rates dramatically increased. Many of these women who chose abortion during the 2008 recession reported having a traumatic event in their lives, which for many included losing a job or a home. Even more alarming is the fact that nearly 70 percent of women who choose abortion are poor or near poor with more than three out of four women reporting they cannot afford another child. If we truly want to reduce abortion rates in the United States, we have to start by addressing the issue of poverty. If we can provide economic security, women will be less likely to turn to abortion.
Support through education is another way to empower women and reduce the amount of abortions in the U.S. Often, conservatives are keen to promote abstinence only education in schools. This policy sounds good in theory, but in reality it is largely ineffective. Women should be informed of all their options, including contraceptives, which significantly reduce unwanted pregnancy rates and could decrease the amount of abortions. In addition to empowering women through education, we also need to increase their access to contraceptives. Thankfully, under the Patient Protection and Affordability Act, insurance companies are now required to provide women with options for free contraceptives. Therefore, with more women able to receive and use contraceptives, the rate of unwanted pregnancies will likely decline, which may reduce the amount of abortions.
I’m always baffled by Republicans who claim to be serious about reducing abortion rates but fail to tackle relevant issues. Simply implementing restrictive legislation banning abortions is neither feasible nor effective. Instead, we must support women economically, empower them through education and provide them with access to contraceptives. That is, of course, if we are truly serious about reducing the rate of abortions.
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