Research Paper

[Name of the Writer]

[Name of Instructor]

[Subject]

[Date]

Title: Legalization of Abortion

Abortion has always been a hot topic of debate in America. This controversy spins around the legal, religious and moral status of convinced abortion. This debate took a legal turn when some activists initiated anti-abortion campaigns to extend the rights of fetus. The abortion debates generally have two sides of opinion, one is pro-life and the other is pro-choice. Pro-life accentuates on the right of the fetus to be born and pro-choice emphasizes the right of women to abort.

Abortion laws differ from state to state in America while they have continuously been influenced by either of these sides. Both sides have their own claims that make this topic a vast issue and many complexities stem from it. The advocates of legalizing of abortion claim that criminalizing abortion instantly, would be fairly disastrous. Such a heavy-handed response to a moral controversial issue has only had negative consequences in America’s past. On the other hand, those opposing the legalization of abortion claim that it will result in everyday abortions of the babies, promote immoral activities, teen sex and is against the right of fetus, who deserves to live like any other human being in this world (“Abortion - Pros & Cons - ProCon.Org”).

The proponents of legalization underline some heavy consequences of declaring abortion legal on the social and economic grounds. For instance, according to them, some doctors and women prosecuted under anti-abortion laws will enjoy the benefit of jury nullification, where pro-choice jurors will not declare them guilty even in the face of incontestable evidence. This will undermine confidence in the legal system. More babies will be available for adoption, and the supply will be higher than demand. Orphanages will be established, with the usual abuses and corruption. It will also pave the way for more crimes and immoral activities (Donohue, and Steven). Furthermore, more babies will be killed, abandoned in dumpsters by women who couldn’t get abortions and be otherwise incapable of going through legitimate adoption channels. Fewer abortions would occur, but it would not prevent any abortions from occurring.

No abortion is directly linked to crime and criminal activities. In an effect of Roe v. Wade, the landmark case that began in 1973, millions of unwanted children simply weren’t born. These unborn children would have started reaching their prime criminal years in their late teens starting in the early 1990s. But when the early 1990s rolled around, these children didn’t exist, so the crime rate began to fall, and had stabilized. The pro-choice group also emphasizes that a woman holds all the rights pertaining to her body. If she is not willing to go through the entire process of labor and does not want to carry the burden of bringing up a child, she should be all allowed to do so. The biggest risk a woman takes, regardless of how tyrannical the laws are, is damage to her own physical and emotional health, and perhaps, her relationships. This, the media, political, and Big Abortion ideologues, do not want her to know.

On the contrary, the opponents of abortion claim that most of the abortions are just the outcome of inconvenience like “I don’t want a baby.” This results in everyday abortions and thus the fight against abortion is the fight for the life of an unborn child. They also claim that it could be legal only in a few instances. For example, if the pregnancy could very well be a result of rape. In addition, it increases the probability of sex and sexually transmitted diseases (Klick, Jonathan, and Thomas). Even if it was a result of missing the pill, the woman has reasons of her own not to want the baby and should be allowed one freebie. Therefore, a woman’s first abortion should be state-funded or it should be at least legal to create ease in the process. Moreover, in the cases where the woman lives with a consistently abusive father or boyfriend and is a constant victim of rape, we will let her have the first and second abortion, etc. The state can also have different laws for these situations because exceptions are always there. In addition, if the pregnancy is the outcome of marital rape or any such similar condition when the victim is taking birth control as well, but still faces childbirth, they should be allowed to abort. Moreover, in all the medical cases where labor can make one vulnerable to many health disparities and even death in the worst cases, abortion ought to be legal. However, there must be conditions for that particular case.

Based on the research and looking at the arguments of both sides, I have arrived at the conclusion that there is no clear cut answer to whether abortion is right or wrong (leaving the legality aside for the moment). There are cases in which the rights of the mother do supersede the rights of the fetus and otherwise. For instance, if by continuing the pregnancy can create major health risks for the mother. It is a sad situation when this occurs and extremely emotional for the mother to have to choose between her life and the fetus's life but she does have this right. So in these cases, Abortion absolutely should be legal.

It can also be assessed that anti-abortion laws may not eradicate abortions because women who could not or did not wish to keep the child would either go to another country to get abortion, try to have a back-alley abortion and possibly bleed to death doing so, or give birth to an unwanted child and possibly give it up for adoption. The right to choose and the right of life of embryo also contrast with each other. The claim that outlawing abortion will result in a steady increase in crime, starting around 16 to 18 years later also seems valid. Their most successful tactic is to get the public to believe only religious people oppose abortion. They suppress the voices of pro-life scientists and obstetricians, the voices of atheists and post-abortive women. Those opposing the legalization will not be there to provide for the basic necessities of these kids eventually leaving them to some corrosive consequences. Thus it is not a very simple phenomenon, thus making it arduous to take one stance in this regard.

Works Cited:

“Abortion - Pros & Cons - ProCon.Org.” Abortion, https://abortion.procon.org/. Accessed 22 Nov. 2019.

Donohue III, John J., and Steven D. Levitt. "The impact of legalized abortion on crime." The Quarterly Journal of Economics 116.2 (2001): 379-420.

Klick, Jonathan, and Thomas Stratmann. "The effect of abortion legalization on sexual behavior: evidence from sexually transmitted diseases." The Journal of Legal Studies 32.2 (2003): 407-433.