CNN’s latest iReport topic is abortion. They ask “How do you feel now?” “How did it change your life?” but how do we know that this won’t be just a mainstream outlet to spew abortion myths as absolute truth?
What is CNN’s motive? To get at truth? To start a fiery debate that will lead to a spike in hits and viewership? This is easy, low-hanging fruit “reporting”.
What you need to be focusing on is the cycle of poverty among women, the lack of access to reproductive healthcare, the attack across the country on women’s right to a legal abortion? In the southern states especially (CNN does know Mississippi’s last abortion clinic is on the chopping block thanks to a legion anti-abortion legislators headed by Governor Bryant?).
If CNN is interested in having a conversation about abortion – how about you make it the right one?Let’s get the views up on this so more people (and hopefully CNN!) will see. This iReport topic is lazy journalism. Maybe a sort of linkbait. View the whole post so we get the view count up and get more people to see what a *real* conversation is worth.
We are launching a new project focusing on girls’ experiences with sexualization, and we want your submissions! Inspired by works like The Vagina Monologues, we want to curate 20 monologues/poems/songs/standup comedy acts/literally whatever for a theater piece to be performed annually across the country & the world. Submissions are open NOW and go until March 15th, 2013. Get on this!
Mississippi passed a law last year requiring abortion clinics in the state to have hospital admitting privileges. In a state where the stigma surrounding abortion is extreme and hospitals can refuse any service on religious grounds, this law was written to eliminate safe, legal abortion in Mississippi.
Jackson Women’s Health Organization has been refused admitting privileges by every hospital to which they’ve applied. They can argue their case in front of the Mississippi Department of Health, and attorneys have requested an injunction while they argue the law’s constitutionality. However, if these measures fail, Mississippi could soon be the only state without safe, legal abortion.
A lack of providers means the people in Mississippi will need to travel out of state to acquire an abortion provided in a safe, sterile, legal environment. For those without money to travel, cars, a place to stay, or someone to watch their children (61% of people who have abortions already have children), this may prove an impossible task.
If you or someone you know can provide any of these things - transportation, lodging, child care, funds - please message the Abortion Assistance Blog. You can contact the blog through Tumblr’s Ask, Submit, and Fan Mail functions, or by email at abortionassistanceblog@gmail.com.
Out of every 100 rapes:
- 46 are reported to the police
- 12 rapes will resort in an arrest
- 9 rape cases are prosecuted
- 5 rape cases lead to a felony conviction
- Only 3 rapists will ever spend a day in jail
In a survey of 11-14 year-old boys:
- 51% believed rape was acceptable if a boy spent a lot of money on a girl
- 31% believed rape was acceptable if a girl had past sexual experience
- 65% believed rape were acceptable if a girl and boy had been dating for more than 6 months
- 87% believed rape were acceptable if the woman and man are married
A woman might not even have grown up understanding what rape is…because in a survey of 11-14 year-old girls:
- 41% believed rape was acceptable if a boy spent a lot of money on a girl
- 32% believed rape was acceptable if a girl had past sexual experience
- 47% believed rape were acceptable if a girl and boy had been dating for more than 6 months
- 79% believed rape were acceptable if the woman and man are married
In a survey of college males:
- 35% admit - anonymously - that they would rape under the circumstances that they could get away with it
- 1 in 12 admitted to committing acts defined as rape, but 84% of rapists did not recognize those acts as rape
In yet another survey of college males:
- 43% of college-aged men admitted to using coercive behavior to have sex, including ignoring a woman’s protest, using physical aggression, and forcing intercourse.
- 15% acknowledged they had committed acquaintance rape; 11% acknowledged using physical restraints to force a woman to have sex.
I could go on, but attitudinal surveys and acceptance of rape myths are far more telling than legal statistics.