Louisiana Lawmakers Reject Rape Exceptions to Abortion Ban
For the third consecutive year, Louisiana lawmakers rejected a bill that would have allowed minors who were victims of rape to access abortion services. The bill’s defeat, in a 3-9 vote, occurred despite emotional testimony from the bill’s author and another representative, both of whom were conceived after their mothers were raped. Opponents cited religious beliefs and concerns about the sanctity of life, even referencing a nine-year-old girl currently pregnant in the state. Louisiana’s near-total abortion ban, with limited exceptions, leaves rape survivors with few options, forcing them to carry pregnancies to term or seek out-of-state care.
John Q. Hosedrinker