Introduction
As a whole, the subject of abortion is a deeply complex matter that has garnered and continues to get a great deal of attention in today’s contemporary culture, within and without Virginia. Abortion may be understood from either pro-life or pro-abortion views since certain individuals advocate for the preservation of life while others support the legalization of abortion. Because a fetus is already a human being from the moment it is created, those who are pro-life claim that abortion is unethical and, in reality, constitutes murder. This is because a fetus may feel pain and suffer from the moment it is conceived. On the other side, many who support abortion argue that women should have the right to control their bodies and should make decisions based on what they believe to be in their own best interests. In particular, adopting a worldview that is pro-abortion underlines a commitment to certain goals that are more concerned with the wellness of the mother, which should underpin its acceptance in Virginia. Abortion should be accepted as a way of curbing unnecessary maternal death and showing compassion to rape victims.
Abortion As a Way of Preventing Maternal Death
Abortion should be acceptable on the condition that it is the best way to prevent maternal death. When a woman’s life is at risk, including pregnancy-related problems, a doctor may recommend an abortion (Thomson 328). In cases like these, where the mother’s life is in danger, and the doctor’s failure to intervene might lead to her death, the woman must be consulted before any action is taken. It is generally agreed that people have the right to defend themselves against physical harm and that they have the option of resorting to violence or even murder if necessary. This is true even if the individual posing a threat has no malicious purpose, is oblivious to the fact that they are a threat, or is otherwise not to blame for the situation. Thus, it might be claimed that a woman has the right to abort her pregnancy if the fetus risks the mother’s life. When one’s life is in imminent danger, but not death itself, one may also have the right to commit murder. Similarly, abortion might be a comparable option when a pregnancy would cause irreparable harm to the mother but not necessarily result in her death.
In addition, a termination may be carried out to save the woman from suffering damage that is likely to be permanent and which may have an additional negative impact on the woman’s mental or physical health. The psychological issues might be the consequence of the woman’s emotional attachment to the pregnancy as well as conservative ideas concerning the viewpoint that society has on abortion, which would cause the woman to have poor self-esteem as a result. The provision of therapy to a pregnant woman to preserve her life or to avoid grave and irreversible impairment to either her physical or mental health takes precedence over any other legal or ethical considerations. In general, forced motherhood poses considerable hazards to mental health, and in many cases, abortion presents a far lower risk to a woman’s mental health than either pregnancy or parenting does.
Abortion As a Way of Showing Compassion to Rape Victims
Abortion should be acceptable under a circumstance in which the pregnancy resulted from rape. A woman is the victim of a horrifyingly violent and morally repugnant crime if she gets pregnant as a result of being raped. There is no way to deny the obvious reality that pregnancy can happen from rape, even though this type of pregnancy is highly unusual. When a woman falls pregnant as a consequence of rape, one may make the argument that the best way to protect the significant importance of her mental health in these unfortunate circumstances is to have an abortion.
Ideally, rape pregnancies are the consequence of a severe injustice, and the victim should not be forced to carry the fetus to viability. Over the course of the next nine months, this would serve as a constant reminder of the brutality that had been done against her, causing her much more mental suffering. Reardon concludes that a woman’s emotional well-being is more important than her unborn child (6). Furthermore, it is argued that the fetus is an aggressor against the woman’s integrity and personal life and that it is reasonable and ethically justifiable to resist an aggressor, even by murdering him, if it is the only way to safeguard personal and human values. Therefore, the conclusion is that abortion is morally acceptable under these circumstances.
The crime of rape is heinous because it violates human rights and contributes to the public health crisis that is sexual violence. As well as being classified as a torture technique, the international community recognizes rape as a serious human rights violation (Thomson 332). A person’s human rights, including the right to life, liberty, and security, must be protected and respected at all times, including those who have been or may be victims of sexual assault. In addition to the right to health care, people have the right not to be subjected to torture or other forms of brutal, cruel, or degrading treatment. Therefore, relevant entities and governments must take all necessary steps to avoid sexual assault and to make available to all citizens high-quality health services prepared to respond to such acts. All this should occur while granting the necessary compassion to those who are already victims by giving them a chance to follow their will. They must not be forced to carry an unwanted pregnancy as it would cause more devastating effects.
Conclusion
Abortion has been condemned as an act that rejects the right to life of the fetus by a wide range of individuals, civilizations, intellectuals, and even philosophers. They believe that life begins at conception and that every human life, including a fetus, should be safeguarded against harm that might lead to the termination of that life. While their arguments are credible to a large extent, it is important to recognize that abortion could be necessary under certain conditions, especially if the woman’s life is endangered. Continued global catastrophes have led to a social acceptance of abortion as a means to save the life of a woman who is in danger due to the existence of her unborn child. Moreover, it would only be reasonable to allow abortion in a case where the woman is a rape victim. Compelling an individual to carry the pregnancy against their will under such circumstances would only lead to more detrimental effects. It is, therefore, important to review the issue of abortion and appropriately identify its necessity depending on the situation.
Works Cited
Reardon, David C. “The Abortion and mental Health Controversy: A Comprehensive Literature Review of Common Ground Agreements, Disagreements, Actionable Recommendations, and Research Opportunities.” SAGE Open Medicine 6, 2018. Web.
Thomson, Judith Jarvis. “A Defense of Abortion” Philosophy and Public Affairs, vol. 1 no. 1, 1971, pp. 326-333.