Illegitimate Rape and Super Magic Secretions

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There are no “secretions” that women “secrete” that keep us from becoming pregnant if we are raped by a sperm-laden penis. None. Zip. Nada. Those secretions do not exist, but try telling that to the GOP. Think Todd Akin’s comments are something new? You haven’t been paying attention.

Let’s leap into the Way Back Machine, shall we? We’re traveling to 1980, when attorney James Holmes wrote in a letter, supporting a contitutional ban on abortions, “”Concern for rape victims is a red herring because conceptions from rape occur with approximately the same frequency as snowfall in Miami.” We can visit 1988, and listen to Stephen Freind. Rep. Freind of Delaware is the first person to actually mention the magic secretions myth. See, Freind believes that the traumatic experience of rape causes a woman to “secret a certain secretion” that kills sperm. In 1995, Rep. Henry Aldridge of North Carolina made national headlines, when he stated  “The facts show that people who are raped — who are truly raped — the juices don’t flow, the body functions don’t work and they don’t get pregnant. Medical authorities agree that this is a rarity, if ever.

And then there’s Dr. John Willke. Dr. Willke, a fervent pro-lifer, wrote a charming little article in 1999 about how rare it is for a raped woman to become pregnant. He made up a little known fact (because it’s utter malarchy) and here it is:

When pro-lifers speak of rape pregnancies, we should commonly use the phrase ‘forcible rape’ or ‘assault rape,’ for that specifies what we’re talking about. Rape can also be statutory. Depending on your state law, statutory rape can be consensual, but we’re not addressing that here…Assault rape pregnancies are extremely rare. 

…What is certainly one of the most important reasons why a rape victim rarely gets pregnant, and that’s physical trauma. Every woman is aware that stress and emotional factors can alter her menstrual cycle. To get and stay pregnant a woman’s body must produce a a very sophisticated mix of hormones. There’s no greater emotional trauma that can be experienced by a woman than an assault rape. This can radically upset her possibility of ovulation, fertilization, implantation and even nurturing of a pregnancy. So what further percentage reduction in pregnancy will this cause? No one knows, but this factor certainly cuts this last figure by at least 50 percent and probably more.

I saved the best for last, however. In 1990, Republican Clayton Williams, who was running against Ann Richards, made an attempt at humor by comparing rape to the weather. He was overheard by a reporter saying “As long as it’s inevitable, you might as well lie back and enjoy it.” Williams threw his Stetson behind John McCain in 2008, but McCain canceled a fundraiser at Williams’ home after learning of his little “joke.”

What do actual doctors have to say about this “science?” The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologist posted this public statement on their website:

Statement on Rape and Pregnancy

August 20, 2012

Washington, DC — Recent remarks by a member of the US House of Representatives suggesting that “women who are victims of ‘legitimate rape’ rarely get pregnant” are medically inaccurate, offensive, and dangerous.

Each year in the US, 10,000–15,000 abortions occur among women whose pregnancies are a result of reported rape or incest. An unknown number of pregnancies resulting from rape are carried to term. There is absolutely no veracity to the claim that “If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to shut that whole thing down.” A woman who is raped has no control over ovulation, fertilization, or implantation of a fertilized egg (ie, pregnancy). To suggest otherwise contradicts basic biological truths.

Any person forced to submit to sexual intercourse against his or her will is the victim of rape, a heinous crime. There are no varying degrees of rape. To suggest otherwise is inaccurate and insulting and minimizes the serious physical and psychological repercussions for all victims of rape.

My good friend, Molly is friends with a reproductive specialist, Dr. Lee C. Kao, MD. Dr. Kao states: “the short and direct answer to that unbelievably crazy comment is ‘absurd!’ There is no such thing as ‘shut down and not get pregnant’.” Dr, Kao, by the way, has some pretty stellar credentials: he is a fertility specialist in private practice in SF, was a staff physician at Stanford Univ. Medical Center, was a co-director of the Cedars-Sinai fertility clinic in LA, and he was affiliated with both Georgetown Univ, and the U of Penn college of medicine.

So, who do we believe? The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and Dr. Kao, a prominent physician specializing in this EXACT science, or Dr. Willke, who currently heads the Life Issues Institute, whose primary mission is “Assuring, through education, equal protection under the law for all living humans from the beginning of their biological life at fertilization until natural death.” Hmm, that’s a tough one. A renowned group of OBGYN’s and an infertility specialist with NO agenda, or a right wing doctor with a massive agenda and a fondness for personhood?

By the way, did anyone else find the language in Dr. Willke’s article familiar? You know, reclassifying rape as “forcible” rape? Who did that? Lord, I know this…AHA! Paul Ryan and Todd Akin.

Thanks to The Atlantic.com, Crooks and Liars. ACOG, Mayo Clinic (Bryan Anderson) and Life Issues Institute for contributions to this article.

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About Post Author

Erin Nanasi

Erin Nanasi is an avid underwater basket weaver, with a penchant for satire and the odd wombat reference.
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Erin Nanasi
11 years ago

Bryan Fischer of the AFA has come out in support of Akin. He clarifies that by “legitimate” Akin meant “forcible” or “assault” rape. Look at the Willke article I quote. Same frigging language. The GOP is using the Willke article as their proof that you can qualify rape. Legitimate, forcible, assault, honest. The fact the John Willke made the whole thing up doesn’t matter in the slightest bit.

Bill Formby
Reply to  Erin Nanasi
11 years ago

Gee, I would have thought that the law defines rape. You know, no means no if the person being violated has the capacity to decide. If the person does not have that capacity then it makes no difference what is said, it is rape. OH, wait a minute, you are talking about Republicans. They try to make up laws as they go along. Now ain’t that a bitch. Well, hell, next thing you know they will be trying to change the laws on rape.

Erin Nanasi
Reply to  Bill Formby
11 years ago

NO! Them? They’d never go that far! (cough, gasp, thud)

Bill Formby
11 years ago

Although this guy is not worthy of a comment I will give him one. I now have a nomination for some one to to test how long it takes a school of hungry piranha to strip a human carcass to the bone.

Erin Nanasi
Reply to  Bill Formby
11 years ago

Bill, that’s a great idea. We can assemble of team of actual scientists and specialists to stand on the banks of the Amazon, toss Todd in and time it.

Reply to  Erin Nanasi
11 years ago

LOL LOL LOL!! Great idea Erin….

Dale Fisk
11 years ago

Another loser speaks out on the Right side of the aisle. This man is a despicable human being as are most republican politicians.

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