America's Rape & Abortion Crisis is Exponentially Worsening

In the 14 states that have banned abortion, 134 women are impregnated via rape every single day

Would you believe that in the 14 states that have banned abortion, 134 women are impregnated via rape every single day? New horrifying data shows that infant mortality, maternal mortality, and women forcibly impregnated via rape are all on the rise. Sadly, legacy media is failing to convey how serious this epidemic has become. Meanwhile, Donald Trump and JD Vance have made it clear that they intend to ban abortion nationwide. The GOP Senate has repeatedly blocked IVF care and prominent Senate Republicans have already introduced a national abortion ban bill. And Republicans have even gone as far as to block a bill to protect access to contraception. We cannot afford to remain uninformed on this critical issue.

Let’s Address This.

Demonstrators march at an abortion rights rally in Orlando on June 27, 2022. Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty

Red State Increase in Infant Deaths

A Johns Hopkins study reports that in 2022, the Texas abortion ban enacted by S.B. 8 led to 216 additional infant deaths. This ban was despite Texas already suffering the worst rate of infant mortality in the developed world. And sadly, Texas is not alone. GOP led states that ban abortion and reproductive health access top the list in infant mortality. As the CDC data below shows, we can make a direct correlation and causation between denial of reproductive health and increase in infant mortality.

Keep these charts in mind when you hear Republicans talk about “sending abortion back to the states.” In doing so, politicians are dooming children in red states to death. And in their draconian attempts to control women, Republicans are also killing women in record numbers.

Historic Rise in Red State Maternal Deaths

Northwestern University reports that maternal mortality has nearly doubled over the last decade, and is rapidly increasing post Roe—especially in red states. The study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, found:

Between 2014 and 2021, the overall maternal mortality rates in the U.S. nearly doubled, from 16.5 to 31.8, with the largest increase of 18.9 to 31.8 occurring from 2019 to 2021.

Another study by The Commonwealth Fund found similar and equally horrifying data, and added the massive racial impact of MAGA abortion bans, reporting:

We found that maternal death rates were 62% higher in 2020 in abortion-restriction states than in abortion-access states (28.8 vs. 17.8 per 100,000 births). Notably, across the three years presented, the maternal mortality rate was increasing nearly twice as fast in states with abortion restrictions. Maternal deaths are high in the U.S. relative to other high-income countries, and there are significant inequities by race and ethnicity.⁸ In addition, for every major racial or ethnic group, maternal death rates are higher in abortion-restriction states compared to abortion-access states, including 20% higher among non-Hispanic Black people, 33% higher among non-Hispanic white people, and 31% higher among Hispanic people.

So not only have MAGA abortion bans caused a near doubling of maternal deaths, leaving children orphaned, spouses widowed, and families destroyed, they’ve further exacerbated the maternal death crisis for Black and Latino women. The Northwestern University study also reports that, “maternal deaths are largely preventable.” This means that the vast majority of maternal deaths pre repeal of Roe, and virtually all maternal deaths post Roe were preventable—but horrific anti-science and anti-family GOP policies ensured and expedited these preventable deaths.

And now despite new data on the devastating impact MAGA abortion bans have on women who suffer rape, the GOP responds only by doubling down on abortion bans.

Impregnated by Rape — A Rapidly Increasing Crisis

The Journal of American Medical Association (“JAMA”) reports a shocking fact. In the 14 Republican led states that banned abortion access, 134 women are impregnated by rape daily. Yes, daily. The JAMA doctors report that an:

Estimated 519,981 survivors of completed rape experienced 64,565 rape-related pregnancies during the 4 to 18 months that bans were in effect.

You’ll notice Texas is by far #1 in rapes in the 14 states that have banned abortion. But how is this possible when Texas Governor Abbot famously said he would “eliminate all rapists” in Texas? (heavy sarcasm). Making matters all the worse is that several states allow rapists who impregnate a woman to later sue her for child custody rights. In reality, Abbot has empowered rapists to continue assaulting women with impunity. Meanwhile, Donald Trump continues to brag about ending Roe, even calling it “a beautiful thing.”

Conclusion

The horrific and painful deaths of Black women like Amber Thurman were not inevitable. They were the result of deliberate policy choices by extremist MAGA Republicans who care more about controlling women than they do actually listening to healthcare professionals about medical science.

Every medical and academic institution reports that banning abortion is killing women, killing babies, and all while empowering rapists. Yet the GOP doubles down at every opportunity. The fact is that for Republicans, it was never about life—it was always about control of women. In reality, this is fascism and has the potential to devastate our entire society if not stopped on November 5.