Efforts to understand, improve, or do less harm to the world around me.


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Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Less abortion

For many in the pro choice movement, abortion is still a terrible thing but a necessary evil. So a majority of Americans likely favor fewer abortions. How do we get there? Well, the country with the best statistics in this area is somewhat of a surprise:

The Dutch? With their legalized prostitution and ultraliberal abortion laws? How can that be? I did a little research and found out that the Netherlands has not only the lowest abortion rate but the lowest rate of teen pregnancy. In fact, the country has held this distinction for decades. Researchers credit strategies like sex education in schools, discussion of sexuality in the mass media, and easy access to contraception. One study pointed out that "acceptance of contraception preceded liberalization of abortion" and that Dutch citizens accept "abortion only as a last resort." (source)

See also: Huckabee and Stewart on abortion.

1 comment:

Kimberly said...

For a pro-choicer like myself the Dutch model, minus the legal prostitution, has encouraging numbers. The global numbers, I believe to due to education, are also promising.

Of course no one is in favor of baby killing, that is ridiculous, but women must have options and the freedom to decide what that best option is. When people are scared of what is socially acceptable or can't get certain legal care then bad/misinformed decisions are made which can ultimately hurt even more.

As bold and as individualistic as American aims to be, we sure do restrict a lot of civil and personal freedoms.