Thursday, February 16, 2012

The right of the fetus is not the basis of State Laws that carry higher penalties for a violent crime of murder.

The debate over fetal rights (click title to entry - thank you) is not new to the legislative arena.  Every year pro-life and pro-choice advocates vie for the upper hand in this contentious issue.  In recent years, states have expanded this debate to include the issue of fetuses killed by violent acts against pregnant women. In some states, legislation has increased the criminal penalties for crimes involving pregnant women.  These laws have focused on the harm done to a pregnant woman and the subsequent loss of her pregnancy, but not on the rights of the fetus....


The laws demanding higher penalties for a murdered pregnant woman are based on THE WOMAN'S STATUS, not that of the fetus.  


MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Milwaukee police (click here) have arrested three teenage boys in connection with the killing of a pregnant woman who was gunned down in front of her young son last weekend....


This is similar to the 'idea' of Hate Crimes.  This woman was murdered by others, often pregnant women are murdered by the father of the fetus.  There are many dangers that lie along the road for women when they decide to be pregnant and sometimes that means having a relationship with the father that results in violence rather than love.  Any woman's shelter knows how many abused women are pregnant at the time of their abuse.


Women need recognition of such status when they are pregnant to remind society they can fall to victimization easier than when not pregnant.  Whether or not this measure will actually change the statistics of murdered or abused pregnant women is yet to be realized, but, it is a necessary move in that direction.


It is the crime driven by perceived vulnerability and/or dependency that is addressed here.  This is NOT a condescending, patriarchal measure, it is a sincere attempt to stem violence of women when they are pregnant.  It upholds the status of WOMAN and does not diminish it.