Thread:Comments:Nevada Republican opposes Angle for US Senate over 'extreme' anti-abortion position/Should abortions be allowed in cases of rape and incest?/reply (9)

Ah, but I think it's fair to say that the US has an above-average level of people with... strange opinions. Therefore, a comment that only in Amerika is such a debate possible in Western civilisation may hold true, even if we assume the the majority of US citizens are sensible people.

I'm willing to make similar comments about the UK, of which my country is a member, so I don't read the comment as such that all Amerikans are stupid or crazy, which seems to be how others are reading it.

Now I'm here... From an impact perspective (as it should be from a sentencing perspective) rape isn't even physical. It's psychological. If rape victims had forgotten about it by next week it would be a summary offence punishable on first conviction by a fine; though of course, many perpetrators would be locked up in mental institutions anyway.

Rape is a life-changing, usually life-ending event. I take the view that if a person is substantially changed from who they used to be, in a short time, then the previous personality can be said to have 'died' after a fashion. In any event, something that ruins a life can easily be compared to life-ending events, and I have argued previously that rape and murder should be roughly equal in terms of average sentence.

From this impact-based perspective, I think it is key that we allow maximum support and choice to victims. Abortions where required is a non-negotiable part of this, to me. If a woman does choose to carry a pregnancy through, then that also should be supported - full-time if needed. I dread to think of trying to convince people to fund that in the current economic conditions. However, I can't imagine most women would want to carry around their attacker's baby, nor give life to it. Viewing rape as a psychological thing, dragging it out from one single attack to a constant and daily reminder via pregnancy must be unendurable torture to many.