Big Abortion News from US and Ireland

Two big stories on abortion in the past week.

An exclusive AP survey reports that abortion rates in the US are down by about 12% overall since 2010, in nearly every state.

Both sides are claiming victory, of course.

Anti-abortion activists say it’s a vindication for restricting access to abortion. Reproductive-rights advocates say it’s all about expanded access to contraception. A new survey from the Associated Press finds abortion rates are down across America and – as is almost always the case in debates over abortion – the truth is more complicated than that.

The odd thing, or perhaps not, is that rates fell both in states that enacted more restrictive laws and those that did not.

Trends like these are complicated with many factors contributing: contraception use, cost, and accessibility; the economy; sex education; abortion accessibility, and so on.

But one thing is clear: it is NOT because, as fetus freaks claim, that women are "choosing life."

How do can we be so sure of that?

Duh. Because the birth rate is not only not rising, it's falling too.

Elizabeth Ananat, an associate professor of economics at Duke University who studies the economics of fertility, said the data also contradicts the notion that more women are rejecting abortion and choosing to stay pregnant. “If women’s attitudes were really shifting, we should see the birth rate go up,” she says. “Instead, birth rates are falling, too.”

But, hey, don't let facts get in the way of your delusion, zygote zealots. (Not that they ever do.)

In the other big news, Amnesty International released a report slamming Ireland's abortion law.

Irish abortion law treats women and girls like “child-bearing vessels” and endangers their lives and their health when pregnant, Amnesty International has said.

You can read the whole report (PDF), called "She is not a criminal," here.

DJ! has had much to say about Ireland over the years.

Maybe now that equal marriage is about to become legal there, Irish women will get some respect too.

'Asking for It', Revolutionary Style

On March 9, 2011, after Mubarak had resigned and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) had taken over, Tahrir Square, still occupied by activists, was raided by the military. Many were arrested, detained, and some were beaten and tortured.

Among them were 17 women. After their release they claimed they had also been subjected to 'virginity tests'. They were threatened with prostitution charges if they 'failed'. SCAF said it would investigate the claims.

We know how that usually goes.

Today CNN is breaking a story on a SCAF officer who confirms the allegations but with a bizarre justification (bold mine).

A senior Egyptian general admits that "virginity checks" were performed on women arrested at a demonstration this spring, the first such admission after previous denials by military authorities.

The allegations arose in an Amnesty International report, published weeks after the March 9 protest. It claimed female demonstrators were beaten, given electric shocks, strip-searched, threatened with prostitution charges and forced to submit to virginity checks.

At that time, Maj. Amr Imam said 17 women had been arrested but denied allegations of torture or "virginity tests."

But now a senior general who asked not to be identified said the virginity tests were conducted and defended the practice.

"The girls who were detained were not like your daughter or mine," the general said. "These were girls who had camped out in tents with male protesters in Tahrir Square, and we found in the tents Molotov cocktails and (drugs)."

The general said the virginity checks were done so that the women wouldn't later claim they had been raped by Egyptian authorities.

Here is the Amnesty International report, which demands justice for the abused.

“This admission is an utterly perverse justification of a degrading form of abuse,” said Amnesty International. “The women were subjected to nothing less than torture.”

Okey-dokey then. Shorter SCAF: 'To make sure you don't accuse us of rape, we'll rape you. And besides, you're all sluts anyway.'

Follow developments and reactions on Twitter: #virginitygate and #virginitytests.

Here's some of what people are saying.

Maddinya: "Women who fight power are asking to be raped." - SCAF #Egypt #genderME #jan25 #PIGS #virginitygate

Mona Eltahawy: When the "State" sexually violates women, it gives green light for all to violate. #virginitygate #Egypt

Oh. Look. SCAF dismisses the report.

(DJ!'s previous post on how the Arab Spring is treating women.)