Attorney-author discusses impact of abortion on women
SLLR sponsored speaker argues pro-life position is more liberating for women
Adina Levine
Issue date: 2/24/05 Section: News
Attorney and author Erika Bachiochi spoke about her recent book "The Cost of Choice: Women Evaluate the Impact of Abortion," on February 17th at an HLS Society for Law, Life and Religion event. The book, which has received praise from Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the founder of the Special Olympics, and Patricia Heaton, a two-time Emmy winner, proposed a different "pro-life" argument: that abortions harm women.
"More than three decades of debate about abortion has been largely a battle over rights - the reproductive rights of the woman, on the one hand, versus the rights of the unborn, on the other," began Bachiochi. "To be against abortion is to risk being called anti-woman, according to the extraordinary powerful dogma of our time brought about by the tireless efforts of abortion advocates...Meanwhile, three-quarters of those polled understood abortion to be the taking of a human life, with a large majority believing abortion to be murder. This is no small victory for abortion opponents. They are simply confounded by the fact that this has not won them the war."
Instead of arguing along traditional "pro-life" arguments that reference the fetus as a human being, an argument that Bachiochi claims "intellectually honest" pro-choice advocates have already conceded, Bachiochi disputed traditional "pro-choice" arguments, namely that abortion does not advance the rights of women.
"[I want to] challenge the sacred dogma of mainstream feminism that abortion is an untrammeled good for women, that it is necessary to women's equality and women's well-being," asserted Bachiochi. "Many good-willed people have bought this idea - hook, line and sinker - but medical evidence, sociological data and the lived experience of many women has revealed a very different reality: abortion has harmed women, physically, psychologically, relationally and culturally."
Bachiochi first discussed health concerns related to women who have had abortions.
"Look at the data on health and well-being," Bachiochi commented. "Women who have had abortions suffer an increased risk of anxiety, depression, substance abuse and suicide."
"More than three decades of debate about abortion has been largely a battle over rights - the reproductive rights of the woman, on the one hand, versus the rights of the unborn, on the other," began Bachiochi. "To be against abortion is to risk being called anti-woman, according to the extraordinary powerful dogma of our time brought about by the tireless efforts of abortion advocates...Meanwhile, three-quarters of those polled understood abortion to be the taking of a human life, with a large majority believing abortion to be murder. This is no small victory for abortion opponents. They are simply confounded by the fact that this has not won them the war."
Instead of arguing along traditional "pro-life" arguments that reference the fetus as a human being, an argument that Bachiochi claims "intellectually honest" pro-choice advocates have already conceded, Bachiochi disputed traditional "pro-choice" arguments, namely that abortion does not advance the rights of women.
"[I want to] challenge the sacred dogma of mainstream feminism that abortion is an untrammeled good for women, that it is necessary to women's equality and women's well-being," asserted Bachiochi. "Many good-willed people have bought this idea - hook, line and sinker - but medical evidence, sociological data and the lived experience of many women has revealed a very different reality: abortion has harmed women, physically, psychologically, relationally and culturally."
Bachiochi first discussed health concerns related to women who have had abortions.
"Look at the data on health and well-being," Bachiochi commented. "Women who have had abortions suffer an increased risk of anxiety, depression, substance abuse and suicide."