What choice?

by Letters Editor · July 22, 2010

From Edward Urban, Johannesburg:

I� was recently given an article that was fascinating, enlightening and horrific. It is about published findings based on research conducted by the Elliot Institute in the United States which links violent attacks on women, and other coercive tactics to forced abortions.

Research indicates that of women who have aborted, 64% said they felt pressurised to abort; nearly 80% said they did not receive the counselling needed to make the decision; more than half said they felt rushed and uncertain about the abortion.

Abortion is also cited as the leading cause of death among pregnant women (so much for the idea that abortion may be for the health of mothers). There are even cases of men feeding abortifacients secretly to the pregnant mothers, with a whole lot of other health hazards.

In short, intense pressure is being brought to bear on these women, in a difficult situation to compel them to abort. This is the reality behind the myth of it being a woman�s right�now some men feel it is their right to demand. And because it is legal, such men apparently feel justified in their horrendous abuses.

Shouldn�t we see that it is all linked into the �culture of death�, of which Pope John Paul II warned, in which people are relegated to the status of objects, merely for pleasure or financial gain and not linked to responsibility (as they are in human trafficking).

The dignity and value of the person is being lost. We end up with a not insignificant mentality, of might being right and the rule of truly savage thinking and acts being justified.

For the full article I would encourage people to contact the Culture of Life directly or me on " target="_blank">.