If abortion were to be made illegal

[Sapphire]

If abortion were to be made illegal, what should the punishment be for getting one?

[theOperaGhost]

Voluntary manslaughter would be the charge. Actually, it would be conspiracy, so both the doctor and the mother (or parents, I guess) would be charged equally. I would consider it voluntary manslaughter though, so whatever the exact punishment for those charges are.

[Sage]

I'd think the horrorible aftermath of back-alley abortions is punishment enough.

[Deirdree.]

Prison, for the parents and doctor.
Abortion is the exact same as killing someone, so why shouldnt the people involved get the same punishment as someone else who murdered someone?

[redcar]

In Ireland it is illegal. In 1950's a woman who carried out abortions was sentenced to death by hanging. It was later commuted to life, but still.

Now if it were to happen doctor would lose their license and go to prison and the mother, I am not really sure there.

[aaaaaaaaaaaaaaagg]

Voluntary manslaughter would be the charge. Actually, it would be conspiracy, so both the doctor and the mother (or parents, I guess) would be charged equally. I would consider it voluntary manslaughter though, so whatever the exact punishment for those charges are.

I agree.

[Aves]

I'd think the horrorible aftermath of back-alley abortions is punishment enough.

Agreed.

[theOperaGhost]

I'd think the horrorible aftermath of back-alley abortions is punishment enough.

I don't.

[JackOfClubs]

Imprisonment at least. I am pro choice though.

[Deirdree.]

In Ireland it is illegal. In 1950's a woman who carried out abortions was sentenced to death by hanging. It was later commuted to life, but still.

Now if it were to happen doctor would lose their license and go to prison and the mother, I am not really sure there.

:O
Wow..
I never knew that.
Never heard of it being done here though.

[Harley Quinn]

I think that all those who are involved should be punished

[Rutherford The Brave]

Definatly imprisonment but for a short time, with some exceptions.

[nick]

If it were illegal, and I'm not discussing whether I think thats right here (my views can be found elsewhere I believe), compulsory sterilisation would be the obvious punishment to fit the crime.

(ducks, hides in a bomb shelter!)

[Project Delta]

I second what nick has said

[Ripplemagne]

I wouldn't worry about abortions becoming illegal. I'd be more concerned with them becoming compulsory with John Holdren as our Science Czar in the United States.

[Sapphire]

I'm of the opinion that if it were illegal then a shorter stint in prison than manslaughter would suffice.
I mean the pain caused by the action doesn't affect people outside of the decision making process and so it is very different in that respect from murder/manslaughter where the parents/siblings/cousins etc etc are also affected by the loss. I believe that if it were to be made illegal then the law should highlight these differences and portray them accordingly.

Compulsory sterilsation?
That's madness...

[Camazotz]

I'm of the opinion that if it were illegal then a shorter stint in prison than manslaughter would suffice.
I mean the pain caused by the action doesn't affect people outside of the decision making process and so it is very different in that respect from murder/manslaughter where the parents/siblings/cousins etc etc are also affected by the loss. I believe that if it were to be made illegal then the law should highlight these differences and portray them accordingly.

Compulsory sterilsation?
That's madness...


Madness?! This is SPARTA!

Anyway, if abortions were illegal, they'd have to have a specific reason. Maybe it's murder, maybe it's some other crime. I would guess murder, but maybe there's another reason why, so until that day comes I have no idea.

[Antares]

I agree.
I think that manslaughter with a relatively shorter prison sentance should suffice,

[Project Delta]

How would you get an abortion if they were made illegal?

[quartermaster]

I agree.
I think that manslaughter with a relatively shorter prison sentence should suffice,

I am in agreement with that, granted, I'm not sure what kind of determent that would be (I would argue, determent is also key in trying enforce such an abortion law).

[Sapphire]

How would you get an abortion if they were made illegal?
Then backstreet abortions in dirty conditions would occur as opposed to being carried out in the safe, clean conditions they are done under today.

[Project Delta]

Fair enough. But wouldnt that deter people anyway. They in theory could just get someone to punch them hard in the stomach... Although that is probably not gonna be liked :P

[Sapphire]

Fair enough. But wouldnt that deter people anyway. They in theory could just get someone to punch them hard in the stomach... Although that is probably not gonna be liked :P
It doesn't stop people doing it.
In 1966 abortion was illegal in the UK and up to 40 women died from having the illegal procedure.

[theOperaGhost]

No matter if it's legal or not people are going to get them...just like drugs. I would definitely be extremely happy if it were made illegal and the "doctor" and mother (and possibly the father, if he's involved) were charged with voluntary manslaughter and served jail time. It only makes sense.

[Sapphire]

It's hard for me not to leave that unchallenged without diverting away from the backdrop of this thread. Lol.

I guess I really put this in the wrong forum as I asked more out of curiosity than anything else...

[theOperaGhost]

I understand...all our personal view on whether abortion is wrong or not come through instead of sticking with the hypothetical question on "if it were illegal, what is the punishment?"

LOL...and I know my personal opinion usually comes through quite strongly and is usually in opposition to the majority.

[mrmcdonaldduck]

for the mother 8-9 years.
for the doctor maybe a suspended liscence and 6 months in jail.

[INFERNO]

for the mother 8-9 years.
for the doctor maybe a suspended liscence and 6 months in jail.

Why so many years for the mother and so few for the performer of the action?

I'd probably say 2-2.5-3 years for the mother and doctor. I'd also have the doctor have their medical license reviewed and have it suspended the first time. If they do more illegal abortions or other illegal practices then they should have a three or four-strike system. At the last strike, they lose their medical license.

If the father was in support of the abortion, then I'd probably call it conspiracy and he may get the same or slightly reduced sentence.

How would you get an abortion if they were made illegal?

1) Find a medical doctor who is willing to do it despite it being illegal.
2) Move to another country and have it done there.
3) Get a coat hanger and do a DIY abortion.
4) Back-alley abortion through whatever means (hitting, stomping, coat-hanger, etc...).
5) Take a tumble down some stairs repeatedly or be inventive.

[Modus Operandi]

Madness?! This is SPARTA!

LOL.

Voluntary manslaughter would probably be the charge, makes sense.

[Loislane]

Prison, for the parents and doctor.
Abortion is the exact same as killing someone, so why shouldnt the people involved get the same punishment as someone else who murdered someone?

Abortion is not killing someone.

If it were to be made illegal, I chose no punishment :)

[Atonement]

Abortion is not killing someone.

If it were to be made illegal, I chose no punishment :)

Breaking the law must carry consequence or the law is pointless.

Question, are we assuming that though illegal, it is still legal for emergency purposes in complications that would endanger the mother's life?

Assuming such, my consequences:

1. Lost custody and limited visitation to children.
2. Minimum 1 year prison for mother and 6 month for mother and doctor if doctor is charged too.
3. Safe sex education/sterlization/other rehabilitation to prevent what caused the unwanted baby in the first place. If they didn't think they'd get pregnant, don't want more kids, court order sterilization. If it was an oops, a sex ed course, and other types of education to prevent such situations from happening again.

[Sapphire]

We don't even enforce sterlisation onto pedophiles so why on earth would it be acceptable to enforce it on to couples who have an abortion?

Btw, I was posing this question with the scenario in mind that all abortions were illegal.

[Rutherford The Brave]

Too be honest Carole I have no answer for that. I mean I'm not sure whether or not this can be compared to the true story of the three guys out at sea. Where one is killed to feed the others, they did it out of desperation and he probably couldve survived if they hadnt eaten him but they did anyway and were charged with murder. You do those things when its illegal because most often or not people are desperate.

[Sapphire]

Too be honest Carole I have no answer for that. I mean I'm not sure whether or not this can be compared to the true story of the three guys out at sea. Where one is killed to feed the others, they did it out of desperation and he probably couldve survived if they hadnt eaten him but they did anyway and were charged with murder. You do those things when its illegal because most often or not people are desperate.
I am familiar with that case and its implications.

However, my point is that how can enforced sterilisation be ok for couples who have aborted one pregnancy be acceptable when it isn't for pedophiles and child molesters (people who destroy the lives of many children).

[Rutherford The Brave]

I dont know to be honest that is beyond me

[thedudeman]

not so harsh, warning the first time considering what stage the baby was in, if it had conciousness, then i believe some sort of prison sentence, maybe a few months, the second time, much longer

mainly because killing something inside you isnt as sadistic as killing someone on the outside, most women arent exactly keen on getting abortion

[Triceratops]

I don't think it's right for a couple who have aborted a child to have sterilisation compelled on to them if this doesn't happen to be the case for sex offenders and paedophiles as such.

I think the consequences should result in imprisonment (length of time depending on severity of case and the individual's past encounters with the law, with children in particular) and lost custody of children for the future.

[Project Delta]

I agree with marcie ont the paedophile part. It shouldnt be forced unless they do it more than 2-3 times imo

[liveyoungdiefast]

If ever our 'democracy' declined in intelligence so much that people would do something so stupid that they would outlaw abortion and punish women and doctors for doing that, I would rather a dictatorship be installed instead to preserve order and to police the incredibly stupid majority before they drain away any other rights of the intelligent minority. And I'm dead serious too.

[sylvian]

What is the definition of abortion strictly in the Philippine setting? Oh yes, in the Philippines only. As i browse the internet, i see several and different definitions of abortion depending on the country and depending the time i.e. before and at present it is being referred to.
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[Grey fox]

What if the baby had a severe genetic default, and the birthing process would likely kill the mother. The the punishment would be death for NOT having an abortion.

Although I feel there should be tighter restrictions on the fee availability of abortions and how they make it easier for women to be promiscuous and not worry about the consequences, there are many, MANY cases where an abortion is the most appropriate action.

For instance - when my mum was getting divored from her first marriage, she got pregnant from a guy she was seeing at the time (not her husband) and accidently got pregnant. She chose to have the pregnancy terminated, and if she hadn't, then she would never have met my dad, and she would never have been as happy as she is now.

Moreover, over 50% of all pregnancies are aborted by the body, the second any RNA coding is messed up and detected as messed up. It's a perfectly natural thing to happen.

Moreover, surely the psychological grief of what she has done would be penance enough?

[Sapphire]

Thanks for your input but this isn't a discussion about whether abortion is right or should be allowed to occur.

[Grey fox]

Thanks for your input but this isn't a discussion about whether abortion is right or should be allowed to occur.

Sorry, i'm not very good at making points clear.

But basically, I was saying, as I said at the end, that there is so much emotional trauma associated with having an abortion, that I think that is punishment enough.

[Sapphire]

Sorry, i'm not very good at making points clear.

But basically, I was saying, as I said at the end, that there is so much emotional trauma associated with having an abortion, that I think that is punishment enough.
Ahh, kk.