"The women's right

Those who advocate abortion law reform claim that a woman has the right to choose what she does with her own body.

The law already recognises this and protects her right, i.e. it makes it an offence for anyone to involve her in sexual intercourse before she is old enough to understand the significance and complexities of her decision, or to force any woman against her will.

Initially then, the woman exercises her choice when she voluntarily agrees to sexual intercourse which always involves some risk of pregnancy.

The law in this country even allows her to back-track on her initial choice by allowing abortion whore her life or quality of life are severely threatened.

Now approaching the question of abortion freely available, as a matter of sheer convenience, have those who advocate that it is a woman's right to choose what she does with her body, also acknowledged that it is the woman's responsibility to accept the consequences of that decision.

With freely available abortion the pregnant unmarried girl has the options: have an abortion, have the child and get it adopted or keep the child. If she keeps the child, by invoking the law she may require the father to contribute towards its support.

However if the father requested her to have an abortion but she declined, deciding to have the child and keep it, would she have any moral or legal right to expect that the father should support her and her child throughout its dependent years?

If she exercised her right to do as she chose with her body and continued the pregnancy in the face of legally available alternatives, could she reasonably hold anyone else responsible for what was entirely her own choice?

Could the lather argue in paternity proceedings that her free choice absolves him of responsibility? It would seem so, but would have unfortunate repercussions for the girl whose conscience would not permit her to take advantage of legal abortion.

With liberal abortion laws, how do the reformers see the rights of the father? Have they just ignored him?

I believe that any change in the law would bring great pressure on women to submit to abortion, oven against their better instincts, or face the alternative of assuming complete responsibility for the support of the child. It seems those in most need will again suffer for the convenience of others.