(trigger warning for rape, incest, molestation)
[Source]
Declaring that “life must always be protected”, a senior Vatican cleric has defended the Catholic Church’s decision to excommunicate the mother and doctors of a nine-year-old rape victim who had a life-saving abortion in Brazil.
Cardinal Giovanni Batista Re, who heads the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, told reporters that although the girl fell pregnant after apparently being abused by her stepfather, her twins had, “the right to live, and could not be eliminated”.
In an interview with the Italian newspaper, La Stampa, the cardinal added: “It is a sad case but the real problem is that the twins conceived were two innocent persons. Life must always be protected.”
Police believe the girl was sexually assaulted for years by her stepfather, possibly since she was six. That she was four months pregnant with twins emerged only after she was taken to hospital complaining of severe stomach pains.
The controversy represents a PR nightmare for the Vatican. The unnamed girl’s mother and doctors were excommunicated for agreeing to Wednesday’s emergency abortion yet the Church has not taken formal steps against the stepfather, who is in custody. Jose Cardoso Sobrinho, the conservative regional archbishop for Pernambuco where the girl was rushed to hospital, has said that the man would not be thrown out of the Church, because although he had allegedly committed “a heinous crime”, the Church took the view that “the abortion, the elimination of an innocent life, was more serious”.
The case has set off fierce debate in Brazil, where abortion is permitted only in cases of rape or a medical emergency. Brazil is one of the most populous Catholic countries, but conservative attitudes in rural areas are strongly at odds with the relatively progressive public view of abortion in major cities.
Even the President, Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva, has waded into the row. “As a Christian and a Catholic, I deeply regret that a bishop of the Catholic Church has such a conservative attitude,” he said “The doctors did what had to be done: save the life of a girl of nine years old. In this case, the medical profession was more right than the Church.”
One of the doctors involved in the abortion, Rivaldo Albuquerque, has raised the prospect of public clashes at his local church, telling Globo, the nation’s main TV network, that he would keep going to mass there, regardless of the archbishop’s order. The young girl at the centre of the case escaped excommunication only because she is still a child in the eyes of Church authorities. The stepfather, who is 23, was arrested last week, apparently trying to escape to another region of the country. Police say he is also suspected of abusing the girl’s handicapped 14-year-old sister. He is in protective custody, and if convicted faces up to 15 years in prison.
[source]
Surprised they didn’t force the young girl to marry her rapist, but I suppose that’s only because he was already married to her mother.
The Vatican and everyone in it needs to burn.
I’ve blogged about this story before, but yeah. A stepfather molested his young stepdaughter, and she became pregnant with twins. At age 9. N-I-N-E. That’s basically the definition of “babies having babies.” Her mother found doctors willing to terminate the pregnancy, and they were all excommunicated. But not the stepfather. Because sexually abusing living, actual children is totally cool - the Catholic Church has proved that on multiple occasions - but preventing a nine-year-old from giving birth to her stepfather’s children conceived in rape is worthy of excommunication.
Awful.
-Jess
WTF, Antis?
When faced w/ the fuzzy logic, skewed research and flat out lies from anti-choice bloggers, politicians, media, etc, you might not know whether to laugh or cry. I prefer a little bit of both while throwing my hands up in exasperation, shaking my head and exclaiming, "WTF, Antis?"
![stfuconservatives:
(trigger warning for rape, incest, molestation)
networkofwormholes:
[Source]
Declaring that “life must always be protected”, a senior Vatican cleric has defended the Catholic Church’s decision to excommunicate the mother and doctors of a nine-year-old rape victim who had a life-saving abortion in Brazil.
Cardinal Giovanni Batista Re, who heads the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, told reporters that although the girl fell pregnant after apparently being abused by her stepfather, her twins had, “the right to live, and could not be eliminated”.
In an interview with the Italian newspaper, La Stampa, the cardinal added: “It is a sad case but the real problem is that the twins conceived were two innocent persons. Life must always be protected.”
Police believe the girl was sexually assaulted for years by her stepfather, possibly since she was six. That she was four months pregnant with twins emerged only after she was taken to hospital complaining of severe stomach pains.
The controversy represents a PR nightmare for the Vatican. The unnamed girl’s mother and doctors were excommunicated for agreeing to Wednesday’s emergency abortion yet the Church has not taken formal steps against the stepfather, who is in custody. Jose Cardoso Sobrinho, the conservative regional archbishop for Pernambuco where the girl was rushed to hospital, has said that the man would not be thrown out of the Church, because although he had allegedly committed “a heinous crime”, the Church took the view that “the abortion, the elimination of an innocent life, was more serious”.
The case has set off fierce debate in Brazil, where abortion is permitted only in cases of rape or a medical emergency. Brazil is one of the most populous Catholic countries, but conservative attitudes in rural areas are strongly at odds with the relatively progressive public view of abortion in major cities.
Even the President, Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva, has waded into the row. “As a Christian and a Catholic, I deeply regret that a bishop of the Catholic Church has such a conservative attitude,” he said “The doctors did what had to be done: save the life of a girl of nine years old. In this case, the medical profession was more right than the Church.”
One of the doctors involved in the abortion, Rivaldo Albuquerque, has raised the prospect of public clashes at his local church, telling Globo, the nation’s main TV network, that he would keep going to mass there, regardless of the archbishop’s order. The young girl at the centre of the case escaped excommunication only because she is still a child in the eyes of Church authorities. The stepfather, who is 23, was arrested last week, apparently trying to escape to another region of the country. Police say he is also suspected of abusing the girl’s handicapped 14-year-old sister. He is in protective custody, and if convicted faces up to 15 years in prison.
[source]
Surprised they didn’t force the young girl to marry her rapist, but I suppose that’s only because he was already married to her mother.
The Vatican and everyone in it needs to burn.
I’ve blogged about this story before, but yeah. A stepfather molested his young stepdaughter, and she became pregnant with twins. At age 9. N-I-N-E. That’s basically the definition of “babies having babies.” Her mother found doctors willing to terminate the pregnancy, and they were all excommunicated. But not the stepfather. Because sexually abusing living, actual children is totally cool - the Catholic Church has proved that on multiple occasions - but preventing a nine-year-old from giving birth to her stepfather’s children conceived in rape is worthy of excommunication.
Awful.
-Jess](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4ft58huYa1qd7hayo1_500.jpg)
This Catholic lawsuit over birth control rule is stupid
So these Catholic groups are suing the Obama Administration over the rule requiring coverage of birth control in most health insurance plans and I feel like they’re operating on a faulty assumption. If you’re so religious and you think the people who work at your Catholic hospital or school are just as religious as you are, including birth control coverage in health insurance plans wouldn’t make a difference. Those super religious people wouldn’t touch contraception with a 10ft pole. I’m sure my insurance plan includes things I have no plan or desire to use. The simple fact that they’re included doesn’t change that.
On the other hand, if you do work at a Catholic institution and want to use birth control — like most Catholic women do, by the way — NOT having it in your insurance plan won’t change your mind, it’ll just be a fucking hassle you shouldn’t have to deal with. I don’t see why the Church would want to force this massive inconvenience upon people instead of preaching their love and faith to sway wayward Catholic souls (/sarcasm).
I’m not surprised though since these are the same people who think teaching comprehensive sex ed is tantamount to giving kids the keys to a skeevy hotel room with a vibrating round bed and a gift bag full of lube. Once again, the Church is outing itself as an institution that will FORCE you to do as it says instead of having faith that they’re saying the “right” word and your spirit will move you to abide by the Word of God (and the rule of the Pope). How does that work? How do they even fix their face to say that?
Excuse me while I fangirl over The Decemberists. -Rachel
Neat!
“What if your mother had been pro-choice?”
I just gotta say, there is nothing scarier than being threatened with an alternate timeline.
When will anti-choicers get it through their thick skulls that BEING PRO-CHOICE DOES NOT MEAN YOU WILL ONLY EVER HAVE ABORTIONS?
My theoretical pro-choice mother could very well have chosen to carry me to term.
Choice: that’s the whole fucking point.
Not even alternate timeline, my mother is pro-choice!
-Joe
(Source: kitty-to-karen, via stfuconservatives)
@PPAct
(via fuckyeahblackbeauties)
![fffigures:
tranquality:
psychotropicpolitics:
What is really takes to get an abortion in the United States. Infographic by Third Wave Foundation.
[photo: infographic. there is a person reaching into a suitcase. in the suitcase are various items that connect with the categories below:
“WHAT IT REALLY TAKES TO GET AN ABORTION
The clock clicking: With every few days that passes, an abortion becomes more expensive - and fewer clinics will perform them.
Escort: The outside of a clinic is often surrounded by protesters. A volunteer escort can help you enter a clinic amidst intimidation and threats.
Government-issued ID: From clinics to courts to hotels, many institutions along the way require an official ID. Without proof of legal residency, you are not eligible for Medicaid coverage of your abortion.
House key: Without a permanent residence, it is difficult if not impossible to secure a line of credit or register for Medicaid or other public benefits in order to pay.
Transport: Only 13% of US counties an abortion provider, and of those, state laws further restrict their ability to operate. Many people must travel in order to find a provider, adding additional cont.
Credit card & cash: Most clinics only accept cash. Many hotels require a credit card and deposit. Without both a line of credit and available cash, it can be impossible to have an abortion.
Blood test: Depending on your blood type, clinics may charge up to hundreds of dollars in additional fees to cover the costs of an unlikely transfusion,
Cell phone: A secure, safe way to make calls to clinics, abortion funds, and hotels is necessary to coordinate an abortion.
Lodgings: If travel is required to reach a clinic, or if your procedure is scheduled over multiple days, the clinic may require proof of lodging at a hotel, adding unforeseen costs.
Judicial bypass: Many states require consent or notification of a parent or guardian for minors seeking an abortion. The only exception to this law is if a minor obtains a judicial bypass. Even if successful, the time it takes to process a bypass can result in a much more expensive procedure.
Ultrasound: Every clinic requires a sonogram, which adds extra cost. If the clinic cannot legally perform an abortion due to how many weeks pregnant you are, your new clinic must perform their own sonogram. Some states mandate expensive medical imaging that goes beyond determining trimester, adding further financial and psychological burden.”]
GOP, doesn’t it say something that no matter how difficult and expensive you make it, people are still getting abortions?](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lmr2nwVdrw1qbjsngo1_500.png)
What is really takes to get an abortion in the United States. Infographic by Third Wave Foundation.
[photo: infographic. there is a person reaching into a suitcase. in the suitcase are various items that connect with the categories below:
“WHAT IT REALLY TAKES TO GET AN ABORTION
The clock clicking: With every few days that passes, an abortion becomes more expensive - and fewer clinics will perform them.
Escort: The outside of a clinic is often surrounded by protesters. A volunteer escort can help you enter a clinic amidst intimidation and threats.
Government-issued ID: From clinics to courts to hotels, many institutions along the way require an official ID. Without proof of legal residency, you are not eligible for Medicaid coverage of your abortion.
House key: Without a permanent residence, it is difficult if not impossible to secure a line of credit or register for Medicaid or other public benefits in order to pay.
Transport: Only 13% of US counties an abortion provider, and of those, state laws further restrict their ability to operate. Many people must travel in order to find a provider, adding additional cont.
Credit card & cash: Most clinics only accept cash. Many hotels require a credit card and deposit. Without both a line of credit and available cash, it can be impossible to have an abortion.
Blood test: Depending on your blood type, clinics may charge up to hundreds of dollars in additional fees to cover the costs of an unlikely transfusion,
Cell phone: A secure, safe way to make calls to clinics, abortion funds, and hotels is necessary to coordinate an abortion.
Lodgings: If travel is required to reach a clinic, or if your procedure is scheduled over multiple days, the clinic may require proof of lodging at a hotel, adding unforeseen costs.
Judicial bypass: Many states require consent or notification of a parent or guardian for minors seeking an abortion. The only exception to this law is if a minor obtains a judicial bypass. Even if successful, the time it takes to process a bypass can result in a much more expensive procedure.
Ultrasound: Every clinic requires a sonogram, which adds extra cost. If the clinic cannot legally perform an abortion due to how many weeks pregnant you are, your new clinic must perform their own sonogram. Some states mandate expensive medical imaging that goes beyond determining trimester, adding further financial and psychological burden.”]
GOP, doesn’t it say something that no matter how difficult and expensive you make it, people are still getting abortions?
(via stfuconservatives)
