A new bill proposed by a Republican lawmaker in Missouri would require a woman seeking an abortion to receive permission from a man first.
The bill was introduced by Missouri state representative Rick Brattin on December 3 and has been filed for next year’s legislative season. If passed, any pregnant woman who wishes to get an abortion must obtain written permission from the unborn child’s father first before she can go through with the procedure. Though the bill does not include any exceptions made for women with abusive partners, there is an exception for sexual assault victims.
According to the bill: “No abortion shall be performed or induced unless and until the father of the unborn child provides written, notarized consent to the abortion, except in cases in which the woman upon whom the abortion is to be performed or induced was the victim of rape or incest and the pregnancy resulted from the rape or incest. If the father of the unborn child is deceased, the woman upon whom the abortion is to be performed or induced shall sign a notarized affidavit attesting to the fact.”
While explaining the bill to Mother Jones, Brattin makes a reference to the infamous “legitimate rape” term once used by the former Republican congressman from Missouri, Ted Akin.
“Just like any rape, you have to report it, you have to prove it,” Brattin says. “So you couldn’t just go and say, ‘Oh yeah, I was raped’ and get an abortion. It has to be a legitimate rape.”
When asked about his reasoning for not making the exception for victims of domestic abuse, Brattin responded with, “What does that have to do with the child’s life? Just because it was an abusive relationship, does that mean the child should die?”
Brattin futher explained that his inspiration behind creating the law came when he went in for a vasectomy and had to obtain written permission from his wife.
If the bill passes, it will likely be struck down by the courts.