Salient. Newspaper of the Victoria University Students' Association. Vol 42 No. 20. August 27 1979
Temporary Cleaning
Temporary Cleaning
We are faced with a great social problem, but to suggest that abortion is the answer is similar to suggesting that to wipe the blood off a deep gash will remove the wound. It won't of course — the wound will look clean temporarily but unless it is stitched up completely, the blood will start pouring out again.
It is so easy for women who are oppressed by the patriarchal society we live in to turn to the abuses of men as justification for abortion. I believe their anger is genuine and well-justified but to argue for abortion on such grounds smacks too much of revenge.
Take the argument of rape, for example — probably the most emotion-charged argument of all and a point on which many conservatives turn liberal. Of course it is unjust that a woman should have to bear a child in such circumstances, but injustice cannot be com batted with further injustice. Should the child be condemned to die for the crime of its monstrous father? Far rather that the rapist himself should die. It is also significant however, that pregnancy very rarely results from rape. A scientific study of 3,500 cases of rape over a 10-year period in the Minneapolis-St. Paul areas revealed not one case of pregnancy. (The Educator, September 1979.)