Abortion Should Be Legal: Fighting Against Stigmatization of Abortion

A highly stigmatized means of birth control in the Philippines, abortion, is a safe procedure in removing the placenta and fetus from the women’s body to stop unwanted pregnancy. An ongoing debate on whether the country should legalize or let abortion remain as a crime. It has been considered immoral for many because they believe that those embryos already have a life thus, it is an act of murder. Although people have different beliefs and perspectives in terms of a very relevant topic, abortion does not equate to murder depending on the situation where it should be legalized by the government in the country. The state and church have been arguing about this topic for quite some time, religious beliefs have affected the legalization of abortion in which the church denies the approval of it. While abortion for many is murder there are certain factors into considering whether a woman could abort a child or not.

Rape is a forceful sexual interaction without consent between a person. A lot of women especially in the Philippines have been a victim of rape resulting to a child where they do not know what they should do to it. Many countries have used rape as a basis whether a woman could abort the child within her. Having rape as a crime, all that results to it is also a crime so abortion could be conducted if it results to a child (Teklehaimanot & Smith, 2004). No woman should suffer the burden into carrying a child of a rapist. She should be free to choose if she will continue the pregnancy or not. Rape results into a lot of trauma to a person and it is for them to decide what to do. The country being religious hinders women to choose freely whether to abort the child that occurred due to rape. A very sensitive topic both abortion and rape has been considered one of the main problems faced in the country. Take this as a reminder that for every hour someone is being raped in the Philippines (Losa, 2019). Punishment is due only to criminals not the victims, do not let them carry the burden of the government and the societies decision of what to do to the child that was a result of rape.

Whoever you are, wherever you live, you have freedom to what is best for your body. It is up to them whether they want to have a child rather than raising an unwanted child by force. Women should have autonomy on their decisions on life especially on their future desires and livelihood. Denying women the ability to choose to end an unwanted pregnancy under safe and legal conditions is a violation of human rights and flies in the face of the empowerment agenda (“International Planned Parenthood Federation”, 2013). Abortion gives women freedom of choice in regards on their capability on raising a child, especially to those who are carrying an unwanted or not planned fetus. They should also consider the capabilties, social class, age and finance of pregnant women since not all pregnancies are planned or wanted, also some are victims of rape which does not have consent and not intended by the supposed carrier of the child. This also help women who are financially incapable on raising a child example of these are teenage and unplanned pregnancies. Abortion should be legal and accepted because every woman should have the right to choose on what their course of life should be, it is a matter of freedom of choice and human rights, it is best to consider the capabilities of the pregnant mother rather than raising a child with no sufficient resources which makes it hard for both the parent and child.

We are created with unique characteristics from the day of our development as embryos. From the beginning of fertilization, a human is already made with a unique genetic identity unlike any other human being. In this case human rights should be given equally to fetuses and embryos because of the fact that they are still living human beings that are being developed, especially these unborn babies are the most defenseless and often neglected by society because of the issues regarding their capabilites. It violates their right to live in which according to an article by Pimentel (2018) Act No. 3815, otherwise known as Revised Penal Code of the Philippines, penalizes intentional abortion commited by any person who shall intetionally cause an abortion; unintentional abortion commited by any person who shall cause an abortion by violence. Disregarding religion, science states that from the moment of conception an embryo already has a DNA, not only by a human but the DNA from both the parents. Having a DNA indicates that the embryo is already a person whereas by partaking in abortion or just by helping anyone to do it is a crime of murder or an accessory to it (Archdiocese of Baltimore, 2012).

Contraception is the way to prevent pregnancy with the use of devices, sexual practices, drugs and chemicals. It gives them the freedom to have a physical relationship without fear of being pregnant and the right to have a child whenever they want to (Jain & Muralidhar, 2012). Basically, abortion is not a kind of contraception. It is by not starting a life and ending a life. According to Brown (2000) abortion is depriving the life of someone from their future. Killing the victims is justifiable as killing an adult on the other hand. If women became pregnant, they should be the one who are responsible for producing a child. They need to know what are the consequences for the actions they made. The unborn baby doesn't have the responsibility of the mistake made by adults. In addition, if they are not prepared for taking care a baby, they should let other people adopt them. Also by legalizing abortion, it promotes a culture wherein human life has little value and can be easily disposed. Abortion gives humans ideas that we can throw away anything that would be a bother to our lives and also that inconviences us rather than going through trials and tribulations. It also normalizes killing fetuses in which people would think abortion does not equate to murder wherein it already violates the human rights of fetuses and embryos.

The Philippines, a country being religious and conservative, disregard to open up the topic of abortion. Abortion has its own benefits yet no one speaks of it because of the fear to be judged by the society. The country should not stick to one perspective that abortion is a crime of murder, it is a matter of giving woman the freedom to choose the decision that fits best for them. There should be a basis whether a woman could partake in abortion not just for convenience but if the sexual intercourse was not meant or forced. The government should open up the topic of abortion and plan for it to be legalized having said that restrictions are present for cases such as rape and unplanned pregnancies.