Article Summary –
A new analysis from the Center for American Progress highlights the harsh consequences of state abortion bans, with an estimated 134 rape-induced pregnancies daily in 14 states from July 2022 to January 2024. Critics argue these bans lack meaningful exceptions and disproportionately harm women.
State Abortion Bans’ Harsh Reality Exposed by New Analysis
Republicans’ portrayal of abortion rights as a state issue masks the harsh reality in post-Dobbs America.
An analysis by the Center for American Progress Action found an estimated 134 pregnancies from rape occurred daily in 14 states with abortion bans from July 1, 2022, to January 1, 2024. This number may be higher due to underreporting, said Will Ragland, CAP Action’s VP of research.
Ragland stated, “The Supreme Court’s decision impacts women daily nationwide, highlighting suffering made possible by Trump-appointed justices.”
As the 2024 election approaches, abortion rights remain a critical issue. Republicans face political vulnerability over abortion, with Trump attempting to soften his stance. Conversely, VP Kamala Harris focuses her campaign on restoring nationwide reproductive rights and criticizes Trump’s state rights approach.
Harris recently said on the Call Her Daddy podcast, “State decision-makers wrongly assume they know what’s best for women.”
The study indicated that post-Dobbs, states with total bans offered minimal legal abortions monthly, even where exceptions for rape were noted.
In Texas, approximately 54 rape-induced pregnancies occurred daily under its ban without rape exceptions, showing a vast disparity between abortion needs and access, according to Ragland. “The gap between needed and provided abortion care is staggering,” he noted.
The 14 states with bans included Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia. Some states provided exceptions for rape, yet this often proved ineffective.
Study co-author Samuel Dickman noted that exceptions for rape are often “meaningless” due to low reporting of assaults, rendering access difficult for survivors.
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