Rape Victim (11) Allowed Abortion in Romania

I saw this news item on my home page, and was curious what you think of this:



Rape victim, 11, allowed abortion in Romania

By ALISON MUTLER (Associated Press Writer)
From Associated PressJune 26, 2008 5:34 PM EDT

BUCHAREST, Romania - The government ruled Thursday that an 11-year-old rape victim would be allowed to have an abortion in Romania, dismissing the opposition of 20 church groups.
Pro-life Christian Orthodox groups had threatened to press charges if the girl was allowed to have an abortion in Romania since it would be beyond the 14 week legal limit. The girl is 21 weeks pregnant.
The stance of the church groups was in contrast to the Romanian Orthodox Church's official view that the decision should be left to the girl's family. The parents initially wanted to travel to a country where it would be legal.


"We are talking about ... the rights of this child who was subjected to rape and incest," said Theodora Bertzi, a Labor Ministry official and who was sitting on a committee, made up of government officials and experts, who ruled on the case.
The girl's pregnancy was revealed earlier this month when her parents took her to a doctor because she appeared sick. She told doctors she had been raped by her 19-year-old uncle, who has since disappeared.
The case has bitterly split the medical community, child rights groups and the public.
In a statement, the church groups offered "material, spiritual and psychological help" to the child's impoverished family, adding they would also rear the child in a church institution if the family was unable to care for it.


But splits were apparent even within the church.
Constantin Stoica, spokesman for the Romanian Orthodox Church, to which more than 80 percent of Romanians belong, said Wednesday it was "an exceptional situation which must be treated in an exceptional manner and the family is the only one to take this decision."
He said the church considers abortion a crime, but this belief applies to normal circumstances and not to incest or rape.


Discuss:

Well I personally don't believe in abortion for any reason. But the fact that she was 21 weeks already makes it a very sad situation.

she's 21 weeks pregnant? i think i'm going to be sick.. THATS HORRIBLE.. she should NOT be allowed.. i don't believe in abortion.. BUT if they were going to do it they should have done it sooner.. give the baby up for adoption.. WHAT is wrong with people.. i'm so sick of hearing " It would hurt me too bad to give the baby up " FUCK YOU .. but it's easier to kill the baby? ok .. i'm just getting mad.. * walks away*

Quoting Gina Kate:“ Well I personally don't believe in abortion for any reason. But the fact that she was 21 weeks already makes it a very sad situation.”

The story disturbed me on so many levels. What a head trip. The fact that it was incestuous makes it even more depressing.

Quoting Rubygirl214:“ The story disturbed me on so many levels. What a head trip. The fact that it was incestuous makes it even more depressing.”

That is very sad! And she was only 11, which is even MORE sad.

Quoting egyptiangodss:“ she's 21 weeks pregnant? i think i'm going to be sick.. THATS HORRIBLE.. she should NOT be allowed.. ... [snip!] ... hurt me too bad to give the baby up " FUCK YOU .. but it's easier to kill the baby? ok .. i'm just getting mad.. * walks away*”

Did you read that it was her uncle that got her pregnant?? That's what really messes with my head about this.

That's a tough one. While on one had I don't believe in abortion in any way, even if it is a rape situation, I can still kind of understand why this should be an outside the norm situation. Because the girl's only 11 that changes everything in my opinion. I honestly don't know any particulars about it, but the health risks to carrying a baby to full term at that age must be pretty high. Not to mention additional emotional scarring that she would have to go through.

Quoting Gina Kate:“ That is very sad! And she was only 11, which is even MORE sad.”

The story completely floored me when I read it.  

I'm the opposit.
I'm completly pro choice. Having just had a pregnancy scare where abortion was brought up, i've realized that the only way I personally can do it is, if the child is mortaly ill and would suffer if born. However, that being said, she is 11 and IMO should not have to be made to go through child birth. Why force an already traumitized little girl into that?
Yes, it's a very very sad situation no matter what the out come and the baby is 100% innocent and I'm sure does not deserve to die but, in this instance I feel it's probably best for both children involved.

It's not like she went out and was a prostitute or was sexually active. That would be an entirely different story.

Quoting Rubygirl214:“ Did you read that it was her uncle that got her pregnant?? That's what really messes with my head about this.”

no i didn't read that far into it.. i just saw 21 weeks pregnant and flipped.. it's horrible that all that happened to her.. BUT i still think the baby is more important whether it's a incest baby or not.. still a baby.. ya know?

There is no way that dismembering a live 21 week old fetus is "best for both children involved" The girl is over halfway done... what more trauma can carrying the baby to term possibly cause??? Let her get to 36 weeks, deliver the baby C-section, find it a loving home with a family who wants it, lock the sick ass uncle in jail for the rest of his life.... Problem solved! Killing babies does not solve anything at all. *gag* What difference would it make whether the baby was killed now or not??? The girl's already gone halfway through her pregnancy, she can handle another 15 weeks or so!

I personally don't agree with abortion for any reason. I don't care if she was raped...I think she should have given it up for adoption or something, but not abortion. And...the fact that she was 21 weeks along makes me sad and sick to my stomach! That's about how far along I am and I just couldn't imagine...So sad :-(

It's sad what happened to her, and she shouldn't have had to go through that. But I still just don't think abortion is the answer.

Quoting Monkyn&Coco'sMama (HippyB:“ I'm the opposit. I'm completly pro choice. Having just had a pregnancy scare where abortion was brought ... [snip!] ... It's not like she went out and was a prostitute or was sexually active. That would be an entirely different story.”

I'm pro-choice as well, but this story just really saddened me mainly because of the unusual circumstances.  1) Having a baby at 11 can't be safe. 2) She had to endure 21 weeks of the pregnancy before she was granted a termination. 3) She was a victim of INCESTUOUS rape. It's just extremely depressing all around. There are no winners in this situation.

Quoting Sharonblueyes:“ There is no way that dismembering a live 21 week old fetus is "best for both children involved" The girl ... [snip!] ... the baby was killed now or not??? The girl's already gone halfway through her pregnancy, she can handle another 15 weeks or so!”

who are you to make the call as to wether or not she can handle the extra 15 weeks? It's not an easy choice and I never said an abortion was pretty but, it is not OUR place to tell her what is best for her.
you nor I have the ability to know what her body is going through, can she even cary a baby full term or to 37 weeks (full term is 37!) We have no way of knowing. Judging her just because, you are not in the situation and can safely sit back and read a story does not make your call correct or best for the people involved.

Quoting egyptiangodss:“ no i didn't read that far into it.. i just saw 21 weeks pregnant and flipped.. it's horrible that all ... [snip!] ... that happened to her.. BUT i still think the baby is more important whether it's a incest baby or not.. still a baby.. ya know?”

I understand that it's still a baby, but incest does result in many serious genetic disorders.