#MeToo, Pregnancy & Abortion //
The #MeToo movement was begun to bring awareness to the growing problem of sexual violence in our culture. Sexual assault is any unwanted, unlawful physical contact. RAINN, the national sexual assault hotline, defines it as “illegal sexual contact that usually involved force upon a person without consent.”
Statistics from RAINN reveal that sexual assault in America occurs every 73 seconds. And every 9 minutes that victim is a child.
Intimate partner violence often results in pregnancy and then increases the possibility of termination. Psychiatrist Martha Shuping, M.D., M.A. relays statistics that women seeking abortion have greater occurrences of intimate partner violence than women choosing to parent. Incidentally, statistics cited by Shuping relay that homicide is a leading cause of death during pregnancy and in most of those cases the murderer is the woman’s intimate partner. These are sobering facts.
These circumstances can include reproductive coercion in some cases, which is a form of intimate partner violence. This is when a male partner uses threats and even physical abuse to force termination of a pregnancy. Intimate partner violence is connected with abortion and particularly with repeat abortion. John Ensor states in his article that findings show a repetitive cycle in which “violence can lead to pregnancy and to subsequent termination of pregnancy, and that there may be a repeated cycle of abuse and pregnancy.
This repetitive cycle of abuse, pregnancy and abortion is debilitating to women’s mental, emotional, spiritual and physical health.
You are not alone. There is help for you. Reach out for help through the links below or call Clearway today.
www.rainn.org or call 1-800-656-4673 to be connected with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.
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