Rape is only really rape if it involves force. So says the new House Republican majority as it now moves to change abortion law.
For years, federal laws restricting the use of government funds to pay for abortions have included exemptions for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest. (Another exemption covers pregnancies that could endanger the life of the woman.) But the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act,” a bill with 173 mostly Republican co-sponsors that House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has dubbed a top priority in the new Congress, contains a provision that would rewrite the rules to limit drastically the definition of rape and incest in these cases.
With this legislation, which was introduced last week by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), Republicans propose that the rape exemption be limited to “forcible rape.”
I would point out that rape is always a forcible act. I would also like to point out that by looking for another way to chip away at abortion Republicans are embracing the “she asked for, really wanted it” defense. In GOP land No doesn’t mean No unless the woman has the bruises to show for it?
Other types of rapes that would no longer be covered by the exemption include rapes in which the woman was drugged or given excessive amounts of alcohol, rapes of women with limited mental capacity, and many date rapes. “There are a lot of aspects of rape that are not included,” Levenson says.
What message is being sent here? That if you drug a woman or ply her with alcohol then it isn’t rape because…? What? If a woman doesn’t guard her drink 100% of the time shame on her? If she has too much to drink? Well, what did she expect – she should have known better, after all, getting drunk makes it okay for a man to take advantage?
And if you force or coerce a woman with limited mental capacity to have sex with you that’s okay? Actually, it’s beyond sick, but it seems the GOP is fine with it. This part is seriously effed up.
As for the incest exception, the bill would only allow federally funded abortions if the woman is under 18.
How gracious of them. An adult relative abuses you for years, but once you turn 18 the abuser gets a pass and you can have the baby, because you really should know better now that you’ve had a birthday. More woman blaming complete with woman only consequences.
But while this proposed law wraps itself in its Pro-Life blanket it covers much more than abortion. It has the potential to redefine rape. What is “real” rape? Wonder if sales for the date-rape drug soar? After all, if this law goes through (which, for the moment, doesn’t seem likely) can you convict someone of rape if an anti-abortion law redefines what rape is?