"[This] subject lies deeper down in woman's wrongs than any other...I hesitate not to assert that most of [the responsibility for] this crime lies at the door of the male sex."
Matilda Gage, The Revolution, 1(14):215-6 April 9, 1868
A recent study finds that unsupportive male partners are the top reason women decide to have abortions:
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While abortions have decreased in women having their first pregnancy, the number of repeat abortions has increased. Today, 47% of all abortions are obtained by women who have already had at least one previous abortion.
In addition, most abortions occur now in the group of women who already have one living child. ....
A new study by Priscilla Coleman and colleagues has been published in the International Journal of Mental Health Addiction. This study uses data from the Fragile Families and Well-Being Study.
The sample was drawn from hospitals in 16 cities around the country, which had high numbers of unmarried births. The final sample consisted of families with one child. The mothers then either aborted or gave birth to a subsequent child. ....
This study looked at the reasons women chose childbirth or abortion for their subsequent pregnancy. It is unique, in that, it examined the decision-making process in the context of the relationship with the father of the child. ....
The results of the study indicated that the most important factors in determining the women's choice to abort a second pregnancy were those associated with the father's inability or unwillingness to provide assistance in rearing the first child.
Women were significantly more likely to abort if they reported that the father of the child cannot be trusted to "watch the child for a week," "take good care of the child," "watch the child when the mothers needs to do things," "does not support the mother's way of raising the child," "does not respect the schedule and rules" for the child, etc.
In addition, it was found that mothers who were married to the father were significantly more likely to deliver the baby.
What is especially interesting are the variables that did not appear to influence the choice of abortion vs. delivery.
For example, the difficulty of raising the child, based on poor temperament of the child or the need for frequent medical intervention, did not affect the choice to abort. In addition, financial considerations were not important in the decision. ....
The results of this study are counter to the prevailing opinion that women abort because of poverty and financial considerations. Instead, these mothers were more apt to make the decision based on whether or not they would be supported in their role as a mother by a father who had already demonstrated an ability to care for one of his children.
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"Guilty? Yes. No matter what the motive, love of ease, or a desire to save from suffering the unborn innocent, the woman is awfully guilty who commits the deed. It will burden her conscience in life, it will burden her soul in death; But oh, thrice guilty is he who drove her to the desperation which impelled her to the crime!"
-Susan B. Anthony, The Revolution.
Tips of the Schoolmarm Ruler to: Granny Grump and Feminists for Life.
4 comments:
But women have the power, if they choose to have it: Don't have sex with irresponsible men!
I work with a lot of welfare moms, and I wish I could just get through to some of them that their lives would be so much better if they stopped having sex with such losers.
Here's a simple screening that would raise the bar a tad -- and maybe in a lot of these women's cases that's all the higher you have to raise it:
1. Don't have sex with a guy who can't hold down a job. A LEGAL job that doesn't involve doing business in back alleys out of the trunk of a late-model black sedan. So, requirement #1 -- he must have a standard, legal job such that he pays taxes.
2. Don't have sex with a guy who is already not supporting his kids. He will NOT treat you or your baby any differently than the way he treats the mothers of his other children. So -- requirement #2 -- if he has kids, he's a good dad to them.
3. Don't have sex with a guy who is a walking petri dish of sexually-transmitted diseases. Anybody who sends Health Department workers into hair-pulling fits is just going to leave you infected, probably with something that can't be cured. And he's not exactly Daddy material.
I realize that this just raises the bar up off the ground, but for a lot of women that's a major improvement!
I agree.
Bad men wouldn't have such opportunities if more women would exercise their power of choice when it comes to their partners. It certainly is an important reason to abstain from sex until marriage.
I am alarmed that in 21st century America so many seem so desperate to keep such men. We do not have to allow ourselves to be objects in order to survive any longer.
GrannyGrump,
I couldn't agree more.
Christina,
Excellent post.
Thanks, Tito.
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