A Politician's Statement, A Nation's Worry

With it getting closer and closer to election times there are a lot of politics that becoming a focus in the media and the main gate ways of people's interest. First off, I feel the disclaimer needs to be clear that I am neither Democratic nor Republican. I vote for the person who I feel immolates my morals and values in their reasoning. Recently, over the weekend a Republican Congressman, Todd Akin (from Missouri), made a comment that seems outlandish and just plain...idiotic. Instead of me trying to explain what it was that he said, I am going to insert the snippet of this televised interview here next. I'm giving the full three minute video because Todd Akin does mention another point that I'm going to touch on just before about tubal pregnancies.



First, let's define legitimate because that seems to be a whole new term in reference to rape. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary online,

"Definition of LEGITIMATE 1 a : lawfully begotten; specifically : born in wedlock b : having full filial rights and obligations by birth 2 : being exactly as purposed : neither spurious nor false 3 a : accordant with law or with established legal forms and requirements b : ruling by or based on the strict principle of hereditary right 4 : conforming to recognized principles or accepted rules and standards 5 : relating to plays acted by professional actors but not including revues, burlesque, or some forms of musical comedy — le·git·i·mate·ly adverb."

From this, we can take on the assumption that Todd Akin is referencing definitions 2 and possibly 3a and 3b.

Let's start with the major issue here first. Rape is rape, and if it has been called a rape, reported as a rape, then usually there is no question to it's legitimacy. I know that there are a lot of people that 'cry wolf,' but I know that in most cases that is not the fact. To report a rape would take a lot of strength that most victims cannot build the strength to take part of, and this is not an assumption I am making. This is knowledge from personal experiences in one way or another which is not going to be shared on here.

First thing that stands out is that Akin is for tubal abortions because of the risk to the mother's health because as a nation we value human life. Then he contradicts himself when he begins to talk about rape victims and pregnancy. I cannot find a statistic, but I know that it happens. Women who cannot afford to get an abortion sometimes take on the option of suicide because they are carrying the baby of their rapist. Is it worth the turmoil, and the life of the woman because they cannot handle the knowledge of what cause the pregnancy. Let alone raising the child. This might be a rare case, but it is still something that should be put up for consideration.

Akin then says, "People always want to try to make that as one of those things well, how do ya, how do ya, slice this particularly though sort of ethical question. . ." Of course it is a though ethical question! There is no "making" it into one. Ethics itself is defined as something that is questioned and has two different view points because of moral and valued stances. Well, Akin thinking that abortion is not okay when someone is pregnant by cause of rape (though he seems to think it's impossible) itself proves that it is something that can ethically be questioned. There is no forcing it into being an ethical debate. Maybe I am completely mishearing him, but it seems ridiculous to me.

Now, to the thing that I think upsets me the most. Akin mentions that somehow a woman's body "shuts down" and magically it somehow will prevent itself from pregnancy when being "legitimately" raped. I have heard of mother's who see their children in a burning car or something who get an adrenaline rush and do some crazy things to get their child from the car, but never have I ever heard of a woman's body turning itself off because it was being attacked in any form. Is this why women don't report abuse too, Akin? They just turn their bodies off from feeling the pain? Anyways, to the point. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) has these statistics about rape and pregnancies. I've also included all the descriptions in how these numbers can be misleading to prevent any questions on such.

"Pregnancies Resulting from Rape:

~In 2004-2005, 64,080 women were raped. According to medical reports, the incidence of pregnancy for one-time unprotected sexual intercourse is 5%. By applying the pregnancy rate to 64,080 women, RAINN estimates that there were 3,204 pregnancies as a result of rape during that period.

This calculation does not account for the following factors which could lower the actual number of pregnancies:

~Rape, as defined by the NCVS, is forced sexual intercourse. Forced sexual intercourse means vaginal, oral, or anal penetration by offender(s). This category includes incidents where the penetration is from a foreign object such as a bottle. Certain types of rape under this definition cannot cause pregnancy.
~Some victims of rape may be utilizing birth control methods, such as the pill, which will prevent pregnancy.
~Some rapists may wear condoms in an effort to avoid DNA detection.
~Vicims of rape may not be able to become pregnant for medical or age-related reasons.

This calculation does not account for the following factors which could raise the actual number of pregnancies:

~Medical estimates of a 5% pregnancy rate are for one-time, unprotected sexual intercourse. Some victimizations may include multiple incidents of intercourse.
~Because of methodology, NCVS does not measure the victimization of Americans age 12 or younger. Rapes of these young people could results in pregnancies not accounted for in RAINN's estimates."

Taking the number 3,204 (which is RAINN's estimate for a two year period) and multiplying it by 3.5 (the amount of sets of two years since those statistics came out), then you get approximately 11,214 women since 2005 who have gotten pregnant by rape excluding those calculation mishaps which are mentioned in the above quote. So, I suppose that "maybe that didn't work" comment that Akin makes happens to a lot of women who are "legitimately raped" or his theory is just all sorts of wrong. I know my choice on that option, and I think everyone should feel free to make their own choice to believe this buffoon or not.

Two more things that I think need touched on with this. I think the people would like to meet and interview these "doctors" that Akin is referencing. Not only would they like to ask them questions, but I imagine a lot of people would like to see the scientific proof that backs their theory. I called my doctor on this issue because I wanted to see her option. She told me that it was absolute false, but who believes my gynecologist? She is just a woman who is in the field and sees pregnancies on a day-to-day basis. The second and last thing I want to touch on, that interviewer knew that things were going sour. He switched that topic to economy fairly quickly once Akin stopped talking. Good for the interviewer.

What is sad is that this blog, or the comment that Akin made, will not keep him from office. People will still blindly put faith in this man.