The Daily Mail has a beautiful story of a young girl who refused to have an abortion despite the fact that her child was conceived in a brutal gang rape. Sadly, “Elizabeth” and her mother were almost completely alone in this decision (names have been changed for legal reasons):
“One of the few things that Elizabeth is sure of is that she was raped three times that night, by three different men.
That Phoebe exists at all almost defies belief. Practically everyone who knew exactly how Elizabeth had fallen pregnant – doctors, siblings, even her own father – urged her to have an abortion as soon as possible.
The only person who pleaded with her to at least consider having the child was her mother, Sarah.”
Elizabeth recalls that most of her friends were horrified that she would go through with the birth after such a traumatic experience. Her own sister wrote a note shortly after Elizabeth made her final decision asking God to help her love the new baby who she now only felt hatred for. But the unborn child is not the enemy and in fact is in many ways, just as much a victim as her mother. She did not ask to be conceived under such circumstances, much like Elizabeth did not ask to be raped, so why should she be punished for the crime of her father? Popular opinion is that a child conceived in rape will be a constant reminder of that fateful event and a lifetime punishment for the mother. But not little Phoebe:
“‘People may wonder how it is possible to love a child conceived in this way, but believe me, I love her even more because of it.’
‘All the hatred I felt towards those men disappeared when I saw the baby. I put Phoebe on Elizabeth’s breast and that was the most moving sight.
‘In that moment, it wasn’t about her being attacked in some car park, it was simply about the precious moment a new mum holds her baby.’
Elizabeth concurs. ‘I have never, ever blamed Phoebe for what happened.
‘While it was terrifying, knowing that I was going to be a mum made me look forward and focus on something else. I suppose I have tried to look beyond what happened, to the life that was created.'”
Even Elizabeth’s father has come around and now “adores” his granddaughter who’s life he once wanted to end.
This reminds me of the now famous letter written by a Yugoslavian nun who found out she was pregnant after being raped by Serbian soldiers in 1995. After informing her Mother Superior that she would keep her child and “fulfill [her] vocation another way” she said:
Someone has to begin to break the chain of hatred that has always destroyed our countries. And so, I will teach my child only one thing: love. This child, born of violence, will be a witness along with me that the only greatness that gives honor to a human being is forgiveness.
Abortion is an act of violence against the weak and defenseless unborn. Aborting a child conceived in rape does not solve any problems. Rather it responds to one act of violence with yet another assault on human life, thereby adding another link to the chain of violence in the world.