As of Jan. 27, the state of Arkansas passed the Unborn Child Protection From Dismemberment Abortion Act, which allows spouses to sue doctors who carry out abortions for civil damages, or allows them to obtain injunctions that block the abortion. The law will also apply for cases regarding marital rape. The law will prohibit all dilation and evacuation (D&E) procedures, in which doctors remove the fetus from the womb. The was drafted two months ago by the state’s Republican government.
The husband of a woman seeking abortion may file a civil lawsuit against the doctor, or physician for monetary damages, or “injunctive relief”. Granted by a judge, doctors will be given a court order to stop all procedures. Husbands will not be given money for “criminal conduct” against their wives, especially regarding to marital rape, but will still be allowed to sue. Minors under the age of 18 can now be sued by their legal guardians for seeking abortion procedures.
According to the American Medical Association, D&E procedures are the safest way for women to end pregnancies after 14 weeks. In the state of Arkansas, D&E abortions will now be considered a felony, punishable by six years in prison, or a $10,000 fine. There have been 3,771 abortions in Arkansas as of 2015, 683 of those being D&E procedures.
Andy Mayberry, Arkansas’ State Representative, as well as the president of Arkansas Right to life, which is a subsidiary of America’s largest pro-life organization, called D&E procedures “gruesome and barbaric”, adding that the procedure “is one that no civilized society should embrace”.
Holly Dickson, the legal direction for the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, spoke on the law, “They created a whole new right ― the right of a husband or family member to sue a doctor on behalf of an adult patient.” Dickson called the bill “unconstitutional”. The ACLU of Arkansas plan on taking legal action in court before it goes into effect later in the year.
It is immoral to give the power over women’s bodies to men who simply know nothing about the struggles of being a woman. It is also immoral to let women, especially those who are victims of rape, or even incest, to further suffer the consequences of such horrifying acts. The decision should be given to the woman, and the woman only, as it is her who carries the child, and the one who will feel the consequences after the baby is born. No man should have the right to control what happens to the bodies of women, it is simply incorrect, and absolutely terrifying, especially when it comes to cases regarding rape. We hope the ACLU will hard fight for the abortion rights of women in Arkansas.
Our body, our choice.
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