Beginning at least a decade before the pandemic, incidents of rape against women have been increasing annually. Though anyone can be a victim of rape, females experience incidents of rape the most. In addition, characteristics like age, race, and ethnicity influence who these victims are and the rates at which they are victimized. These disparities are grounded in cultural norms, historical perceptions, and linguistic challenges that hinder some victims’ ability to seek help.
One of the many harmful consequences that could result from rape is pregnancy. Rape-related pregnancies (RRP) are defined as any pregnancy that a rape victim attributed to rape. In the past, females experiencing an RRP had the option to seek an abortion. This is no longer the case for females who live in states with complete abortion bans, with no exception for rape, and do not have the ability or means to travel to a state with legal abortion. This means there will be females forced to endure both the trauma of being raped and the trauma of pregnancy and childbirth.
No woman should face these issues without the right to choose the best decision for herself.
This factsheet highlights the alarming trend in reports of rape against women and the potential additional consequences considering the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
