A bill to add the exceptions of rape and incest to the state’s abortion ban failed in the House Criminal Justice Committee this morning. Bill author New Orleans Representative Delisha Boyd told committee members her own mother was raped for years by someone almost twice her age and pregnant at 15.
“I know that my mother never recovered from that. She was dead before she was 28 years old. Because no one took time to take care of the child, that had been violated by a predator,” said Boyd.
There was emotional testimony for and against adding exceptions to the state’s abortion ban.
Debbie Melvin, of Thibodeaux, spoke in opposition to the bill. She said the act of abortion is yet another trauma rape victims would endure if they choose to end the pregnancy.
“By its very nature, abortion requires a violation of a woman’s body. This can be like a second rape to her,” said Melvin.
Katie Hunter-Lowery with Louisiana Survivors for Reform Coalition testified about her own rape that she’s still processing. If she had become pregnant as a result, she said at least then she had the choice.
“If you are going to tell your constituents in the fall that you work to support public safety and support survivors, you have to support this bill and you cannot force survivors to carry pregnancies that were conceived through violence,” said Hunter-Lowery.
Lafayette OB/GYN Dr. Damon Cudihy spoke in opposition to the bill. He said it’s the rapist who should be subjected to the death penalty, not the unborn child, and that abortion doesn’t remove the trauma of rape.
“I would dispute in my professional opinion that there is any health, mental health benefits, or physical benefits as related to the mental health severed by her being subject to an abortion,” said Cudihy.
House Bill 346 failed to make it out of committee on a ten to five vote.
Comments