Todd Akin, GOP Senate candidate: ‘Legitimate rape’ rarely causes pregnancy
From the WASHINGTON POST:
…“First of all, from what I understand from doctors, (pregnancy from rape) is really rare,” Akin told KTVI-TV in a clip posted to YouTube by the Democratic super PAC American Bridge. “If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.”
Akin added: “But let’s assume that maybe that didn’t work or something. I think there should be some punishment, but the punishment ought to be on the rapist and not attacking the child.”
According to a 1996 study, approximately 32,000 pregnancies result from rape annually in the United States, and about 5 percent of rape victims are impregnated…
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EDITOR: Atkin later recanted his observation. The outcry seems to be more about his saying it rather than if it is true and, if so, does it matter.
Recanted or not, especially in this day and age of youtube and the internet- what has been said can not be unsaid.
Also- the comment shows that the man doesn’t know the basics of biology and reproduction. If women, or their bodies, had the ability to “shut that whole thing down” when it came to “any” unwanted pregnancy- there would be a lot less “oops/mistakes” than there are.
I’d also like to know what his definition of legitimate rape is- especially as once upon a time it was perfectly acceptable for a husband to rape his wife. Is that what he would consider an illegitimate rape because the husband “owned” his wife and therefore he could do whatever he wanted to her? What about incestous molestation that could cause pregnancy? Is it legitimate rape if it’s a brother or uncle, but illegitimate rape if it’s the father doing it because once upon a time daughters were their father’s property until they became their husband’s?
It’s probably a good thing that men don’t get pregnant. Because while it’s not as common, men can be raped too. I bet if the roles were flipped and men could get pregnant there would be no comments on legitimate or illegitimate rapes- a man can do with their bodies what they want according to some of these Republicans that make these comments about what a woman should and should not be allowed to do with their bodies, regardless of what may have been done TO them in the first place.
The truth is an absolute defense and every right thinking person should always stand for the truth. Otherwise what is it one can stand for? Propaganda?