Gov. Abbott gives a 'bizarre' explanation when asked about rape victims under Texas abortion law
Texas' draconian new anti-abortion law, which went into effect on September 1, does not make an exception for either rape or incest. This week at a press conference in Texas, a reporter asked Gov. Greg Abbott about the effect the law will have on rape victims — and Abbott's answer was bizarre.
The reporter asked Abbott, "Why force a rape or incest victim to carry a pregnancy to term?" And the far-right Republican governor responded, "It doesn't require that at all because obviously, it provides at least six weeks for a person to be able to get an abortion. So, for one, it doesn't provide that."
This is an incredibly bizarre statement. When asked why sex assault victims who get pregnant have to carry to term under TX law, first Abbott says they have 6 weeks to get abortion, then says he is going to eliminate rape by arresting all future rapists.pic.twitter.com/OYFH11xT1G— Ron Filipkowski (@Ron Filipkowski) 1631032631
Abbott continued, "That said, however, let's make something very clear: Rape is a crime. And Texas will work tirelessly to make sure that we eliminate all rapists from the streets of Texas by aggressively going out and arresting them and prosecuting them and getting them off the streets."
The Texas law forbids abortions after about six weeks. Because most women who become pregnant don't realize they are pregnant until after six weeks, the law is, in effect, almost a total ban on abortion in the Lone Star State. Many critics of the law have been attacking it as a violation of Roe v. Wade, but the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, ruled that the law can continue for now.
Twitter users have been commenting on how bizarre Abbott's answer was. Here are some of their posts:
Women do *not* have 6 weeks! At most, it\u2019s 2 weeks after a missed period, *if* her cycle is regular. It\u2019s quite possible to be pregnant & still have periods. Abbott needs remedial biology lessons.— Holly Kurzman (@Holly Kurzman) 1631032831
They can hear a flutter sound from a group of cells that indicate a heart will be eventually formed. They call it a heartbeat but it isn't. So when our devices for hearing improve and it can be heard earlier it will effective be a complete ban on abortion. The goal of course.— Sandy Hahnemann (@Sandy Hahnemann) 1631033390
Wow \u201cat least\u201d SIX WHOLE WEEKS!!! Thanks Greggy-Poo! You are soooooo generous! What will all those raped teens do with SO MUCH TIME?!! Luckily you will stop those rapists before they hit the streets and confiscate their\u2026their weapons?? Please explain how you plan on doing that.— M\u039eGAN K\u039eLL\u039eY HALL (@M\u039eGAN K\u039eLL\u039eY HALL) 1631036019
Here is Greg Abbott, a man with absolutely NO MEDICAL EXPERIENCE making life and death decisions for the people of Texas which will probably be copied by every other Red state Governor. Tell me again that we live in the greatest country in the world.— Elaine (@Elaine) 1631034967
Of course, since TX just essentially shut down all services that provide abortions, that rape victim is probably going to have to go out of state.\n\n(And when she does, Texans can sue the taxi, airline, and anyone else that assisted her travel\u2026)— Kevin Gromley \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Kevin Gromley \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1631035007
TWO. TWO weeks to get an abortion. If you\u2019re lucky & testing every day, maybe 2.5-3. You can\u2019t even get a positive pregnancy test until you\u2019re technically 3-3.5 weeks pregnant *at the earliest.* Most guidance is to not even test until you miss a period at which point you\u2019re(1/2)— Lady de Luce (@Lady de Luce) 1631033749
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