Cases of rape have been on the rise, and women are actively coming out in large numbers to condemn the act. The scenario leaves women affected by the trauma of whether they can keep or abort the baby if they test pregnant. Therefore, this paper discusses the module 8 case study and related cases regarding rape and abortion, applying dialectical thinking to the module 8 case and why Mary in the case study should not undergo abortion based on a professional lens.
In the module 8 case study, Mary should not undergo the process of abortion even if she has been raped. The position can be supported using natural law, categorical imperative, and the Maxi_Min principle of justice and fairness. Based on natural law, rape is an evil and awful practice that should be punished (Cineas, 2022). The rapist, in this case, should therefore be punished and not the mother or child by being subjected to an abortion. The categorical imperative principle also can help determine the case study since it exposes the rapists to evil. Lastly, Mary can keep the child using the Maxi_Min principle of justice and fairness since human values are not based on how one is conceived.
On the other hand, a position that supports the process of abortion uses the principle of egoism. Such an approach is, therefore, flawed with errors since it aims to legalize abortion. In this case, advising Mary not to undergo the process of abortion attracts criticism from those who support it (Perry et al., 2015). The critics argue that the real issue is rape and should be addressed rather than focusing on giving birth. With this, the critics argue that women’s issues are sidestepped, making women vulnerable to future rape cases and gender inequalities.
I disagree with the critics because the fact that rape is wrong does not make abortion right. It is within nature’s design for women to give birth; hence the child should not be taken away from the mother. With this position, materials on the internet, newspapers, magazines, and professional articles can also be used to analyze the case study and arrive at a professional conclusion. An example of an article is “Rape and incest abortions don’t really exist.” The author brings to light the case of a rape victim from Ohio who travels to Indiana to have an abortion because Ohio has a near-total abortion ban (Cineas, 2022). The case can be analyzed by Marqyuis’s theory which explains why abortion is immoral.
A journal article, “Rape-related pregnancy: estimates and descriptive characteristics from a national sample of women,” can also address Mary’s case. From the website, the analysis can be used to ban or legalize abortions based on the percentage of women who are exposed to rape. In this case, the case study can be analyzed using professionals’ ideas, such as that of Don Berkich, on why abortion is immoral to help create a motive for the study. Alternatively, a magazine article, “abortion,” can be used to decide Mary’s case (The Sun,2022). The topics in the magazine can therefore be analyzed using the works of Judith Jarvis Thompson on a defense of abortion. Lastly, Mary’s case can also be addressed using the article “Impact of Ecuador’s abortion ban on Women and girls.” The article shows that abortion is illegal in Ecuador (human rights watch, 2016). A professional lens of Marqyuis’s theory on why abortion is immoral can also be used to analyze the case to help make an informed opinion.
In conclusion, the case studies surrounding victims of rape and abortion raise various ethical considerations. Abortion, in this case, punishes the child more than even the rapists, making the procedure biased. Handling such situations, therefore, requires the three parties to be considered while determining whether to abort or not. Addressing the cases related to rape therefore need to be addressed through a professional lens which ensures informed decisions are made.
References
Cineas, F. (2022). Rape and incest abortion exceptions don’t really exist. Vox. Web.
Perry, R., Zimmerman, L., Al-Saden, I., Fatima, A., Cowett, A., & Patel, A. (2015). Prevalence of rape-related pregnancy as an indication for abortion at two urban family planning clinics. Contraception, 91(5), 393–397. Web.
Rape victims as criminals. (2016). Human Rights Watch. Web.
Topics: Abortion. (n.d.) The Sun Magazine. Web.