Rape and incest, causes for abortion

THE EDITOR: August 6, 2004, a 40-year-old-man was sent to prison for a total of 95 years (actually only ten years will be served because sentences are to run concurrently) after being found guilty of raping a nine- year-old girl on seven occasions in one week, while she was left in his care. If that child had already started her menstrual cycle, and had become pregnant, according to the messages being propagated on the media today, the hierarchy of the christian community would require that she carry that pregnancy to full term, and not have an abortion. Rape and incest are two forms of brutal violence that are continuously perpetrated on a daily basis in our country on the most vulnerable and disadvantaged of human species —young, innocent girls and boys; but only girls may become pregnant. The christian community insists that no life must be terminated, and purports that the “will of God” will be compromised if such “life” is intercepted.

One of the radio stations carries, several times a day a deceptive message which identifies four scenarios in which decisions to terminate pregnancies may have resulted in the non-existence of persons who later turned out to have profound positive impact on society — one such person being Jesus the Christ. I say this message is deceptive because, in the case of Jesus, God put everything in place including special communication with both Mary and Joseph to ensure that Christ would be born. Indeed, as far as I am aware, there is absolutely no reference in the Christian Bible, and no stated directive of God anywhere, in relation to the termination of a pregnancy. In the special case of rape and incest of young children, of whatever ages, (and indeed of rape in general) the laws of Trinidad and Tobago should specifically state that, in such circumstances of pregnancy, abortion should be legally correct.

What kind of God would insist that a young girl impregnated in such a situation, should experience such violence of her person, and then be compelled to carry a pregnancy to full term, with all the distortions that occur to the body, and the embarrassment to psyche, the shame to her sense of self, and then be punished for the rest of her entire life with the responsibility that ensues? In this process she will have to quit school, forego her education, live the life of a pauper and continue to be vulnerable to men for an existence. The gracious God whom I serve is a just God. He is loving and protective of the least of his children. He is not a God who imposes man-made rules in any circumstance. He is a God in whom I have unlimited confidence and trust. The Christian Church must ensure that it is not again going the way of the early oppressive church that persecuted innocent people through the Crusades. Jesus Christ has continuously spoken about the difference between the “letter” of the law and the “spirit” of the law. Have mercy, please!

DR DAPHNE PHILLIPS
Sociologist, Lecturer at UWI
Former Government Minister/Christian