Punishment for Abortion

[JSojourner]

Please note that I have not included an option for those of us who believe in freedom of choice.  I really want to hear what our friends who oppose abortion rights think.  When you criminalize something, you have to punish it.  How?

[Padfoot]

I oppose third trimester abortions unless it is strictly for medical purposes.  Revocation of medical license and fines for all parties involved.

[MaC]

Mother is given a "slap-on-the-wrist" penalty, about 10 dollar fine; the fetus should get 30 years in prison w/o parole.

[MasterJedi]

Option 1

[adam]

I only support abortion in the first trimester, for the life of the mother, and in the instance of rape.

(Were it up to me) Those who should violate those parameters would be met with either harsh fines, community service, or both.

[© tweed]

In a great proportion of cases any punishment for abortion does more harm than good.

Does fining an/or jailing a single mother of three who illegally had an abortion really help anyone?

[Bono]

In a great proportion of cases any punishment for abortion does more harm than good.

Does fining an/or jailing a single mother of three who illegally had an abortion really help anyone?

The problem is that there is no one to pay restitution to, since the family itself was involved in the killing of the victim. Of course, some other relatives mught get a claim to this, but more often than not the victim has no one to sue in their behalf. Thus, some retributive justice is in order.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

While I deplore the practice of Abortion, banning it and punishing those who commit abortions is yet another "F**k the poor" legal code, at least as far as America is concerned - Rich parents would just off to Europe or Canada to have abortions and avoid punishment.

[Padfoot]

While I deplore the practice of Abortion, banning it and punishing those who commit abortions is yet another "F**k the poor" legal code, at least as far as America is concerned - Rich parents would just off to Europe or Canada to have abortions and avoid punishment.

One of the major reasons I don't support illegalization of all abortions is that it would create a black market in which more women would be hurt and/or killed by botched "coat-hanger" abortions.  Abortion is a horrible tradgedy but making it completely illegal would only increase the amount of tradgedy by tenfold.

[KEmperor]

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

While I deplore the practice of Abortion, banning it and punishing those who commit abortions is yet another "F**k the poor" legal code, at least as far as America is concerned - Rich parents would just off to Europe or Canada to have abortions and avoid punishment.

Isn't that the case in Ireland now?

[Tetro Kornbluth]

While I deplore the practice of Abortion, banning it and punishing those who commit abortions is yet another "F**k the poor" legal code, at least as far as America is concerned - Rich parents would just off to Europe or Canada to have abortions and avoid punishment.

Isn't that the case in Ireland now?

Yes, Abortion is illegal in Ireland expect when the mother's life is in danger (including Sucicide - that's important: a few years ago we had a referendum asking whether wanted to keep that statute. It was narrowly retained.).

But in Ireland thanks to a previous 1992 referendum it is perfectly legal for anyone to go across to Britain to obtain an abortion - ca7,000 women do it each year and with cheap ferry access practically anyone can afford it. That's why backstreets are unheard of here.

Of course, that wouldn't be the situation in the US, especially for a poor black rural family from say, Rural Georgia. They would just be abandoned.

[Nym90]

In a great proportion of cases any punishment for abortion does more harm than good.

Does fining an/or jailing a single mother of three who illegally had an abortion really help anyone?

Agreed. That's the main reason why I don't support making abortion illegal; I really can't see any good coming from it. The only way to solve the problem is to reduce the necessity for abortion; by the time it's happened it's too late. Better access to quality education and health care is the key, and most of those who oppose legal abortion also tend to oppose the solutions that would reduce the necessity for it as well.

[Brandon H]

Punish the persons who perform them (I won't use the term doctor for these people.) but most women are punished enough by the affects of the abortion itself, either mentally, physically, or both.

If abortions are too remain legally, women considering the procedure should be given as much information as possible about the procedure. Strange how some organization who say they support "choice" don't want women to have all the facts when making a "choice".

[JSojourner]

In a great proportion of cases any punishment for abortion does more harm than good.

Does fining an/or jailing a single mother of three who illegally had an abortion really help anyone?

some retributive justice is in order.

Such as?

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

LOL

[Democratic Hawk]

Fine and prison time for doctor and any other facilitators. No punishment for the abortive mother, who may have other children and it's more than likely in their best interests not to separate her from them by sending her to prison or, even, fining her. A few mothers, and for that matter fathers, are lousy but the vast majority aren't. Punishment would do more harm than good

BTW, abortion in the case of rape, incest and maternal life only should be permitted. It's all too easy for some to see abortion as a belated form of contraception when there are sufficient enough methods to avert unwanted pregnancies in the first place

Who on Earth has voted for the death penality?

Dave