For Victims of Wartime Rape, Abortion Out of Reach (trigger warning)

[niyad]

For Victims of Wartime Rape, Abortion Out of Reach



Here's what one Kenyan woman says about being forced to carry through a pregnancy that resulted from a rape during a conflict period. Obama could end such suffering by clarifying that U.S. law actually does allow abortion funding in such circumstances, a health activist says.



Liberia rape victimA rape victim on her way to a session with a caregiver, at a safe house in Monrovia, Liberia.Credit: UN Photo/Staton Winter



UNITED NATIONS (WOMENSENEWS)-- In March, Jacqueline Namuye Mutere, a citizen of Kenya, was scheduled to participate at a panel here on the role of donor governments in responding to conflict-related rape. Due to a visa problem, however, she was denied entrance to the United States and could not make the panel, where she was going to give a personal account of being victimized by rape during a period of violent conflict.
Determined to make others understand why she so desperately wanted an abortion when she became pregnant, she spoke with Women's eNews recently via Skype and told her story.

Mutere had been working in Nairobi as a community developer to empower people with information and tools for personal and community advancement. She also consulted on HIV prevention and treatment until she was raped in January 2008, during a spate of violence following a disputed election in Kenya.

"My life became very difficult. My health went down," she said. "I had just given birth to my fourth child less than a year before. My body wasn't ready to go through another pregnancy. And I didn't want anyone to know I was pregnant so I tried to hide it. And the mental pressure of hiding something, while at the same time feeling my body growing, that affected me very much. I didn't eat or sleep well and started losing weight."

. . . . . .

******Rape is wielded as a weapon of war in 21 countries, according to a U.N. report released last year.********

For victims in these countries, research has shown that access to comprehensive post-rape care is crucial to any hope of recovering physical, mental and emotional health. It must include, according to another report issued by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, access to "the safe termination of pregnancies for survivors of conflict-related rape." Without it, women, if they survive, suffer from lasting consequences that affect their ability to earn a living, care for their children and generally prevent them from piecing their lives back together.

. . . .

http://womensenews.org/story/international-policyunited-nations/150427/victims-wartime-rape-abortion-out-reach

[yeoman6987]

1. I'm sorry but what does the President have to do with a

Kenyan citizen? If anything trying to make abortion in America easier would be helpful but the way our system works is impossible for him to do that.

[niyad]

2. I would suggest that you read the article.

[yeoman6987]

3. I did

She was coming to the United States for a seminar but her VISA was denied. In the article they said the President needs to do more for woman overseas. Obviously the author doesn't think our President has enough to do. I think he works extremely hard for a measly 400K.

[niyad]

5. your response indicates that you did not, in fact, read the whole article,

which would have answered your question.

the amount of the president's compensation has nothing to do with this, but thanks for the deflection.

[yeoman6987]

6. Your welcome and as I stated I read the article and stand by

My replies salary and all. Sorry you don't think the President being busy is important but I do especially when he has a huge job here. He is not the President of the World. You are aware of that?

[niyad]

7. your response indicates that you did not, in fact, read the article, which

would have answered your question.

again, nice try at the expected deflection. no surprises there.

[yeoman6987]

8. Your ability to discuss the topic is very weak

So what if I discuss my President and stick up for him. The amount of negativity my President receives is historic and unfair. But you go on.

[Novara]

4. Because the US offers assistance to people in countries with conflicts like these....

...and reproductive care for rape is no different than being treated for any other war injury. It IS a war injury. If we help with other care, an abortion shouldn't be denied because of our fucking ridiculous politics.