Birth Control for the Disabled? [Zenit]

[Catholic_Press]

Caregivers Should Look at Norms for Legitimate Self-Defense

More…

 

[Peggy_in_Burien]

I’m interested due to a family situation.

 

[Not_Sure_1]

prevent the disabled from reproducing?

Eugenics?

Anyone for Tennis?

 

[incense]

prevent the disabled from reproducing?

Eugenics?

Anyone for Tennis?

Read the article. It’s no eugenics.

 

[smswife]

As I understand the article, it may be morally acceptable for a parent/guardian to treat a disabled dependent with contraceptives as a defense against possible rape (statutory or otherwise), taking into account risk of sexual assault vs. risk of the contraceptive.

I don’t see any discussion there about sterilization of the permanently intellectually disabled.

Does anyone know of any good discussion of that aspect of this question? Does anyone here have any thoughts on that.

 

[incense]

30 years is a long time to pump hormones into someone to prevent a “possible” rape that could result in a “possible pregnancy.”

That’s a good point. Does anyone know how rare rape is among mentally disabled females? Maybe it’s not rare. Maybe it is.

Your pregnancy statistic might not be very accurate anymore, I’m pretty sure I’ve read that. Pregnancy used to be rare because penile penetration was rare for rapes and ejaculation even rarer.

 

[Peggy_in_Burien]

That’s a good point. Does anyone know how rare rape is among mentally disabled females? Maybe it’s not rare. Maybe it is.

Your pregnancy statistic might not be very accurate anymore, I’m pretty sure I’ve read that. Pregnancy used to be rare because penile penetration was rare for rapes and ejaculation even rarer.

Not rare enough, especially if they are institutionalized.

My granddaughters are extremely autistic and non-verbal.

No one could hear them scream, because they don’t. And they would never be able to tell what happened.

They are six years old, and already my daughter is scared to death that someday, after all of us have passed on, that the girls might wind up in an institution. Rape happens in nursing homes to the elderly and to severly retarded girls. In the case of the younger ones, sometimes the only “proof” is when there is a baby on the way.

 

[Peggy_in_Burien]

I am the mother of a child with a disAbility…so I only know all too well the fear of the future. What I am offering is this…

Statistics I read were that less then 1% of rapes resulted in pregnancy. Others dispute and think it could even be close to 4%. Either way…is it prudent to put a child on a medication for 30 years JUST IN CASE they are raped and if they are raped there is a 1-4% chance they will get pregnant?

I am not saying that there are not legitimate fears to thinking of having to put your child in an institution. What I am saying is that birth control has a failure rate anyway and taking birth control pills for 30 years really takes a toll on the body and has many other risk factors. If I were my child, I would never put her on the pill, but that is just my opinion for what it is worth.

Well, to be candidly honest, I wasn’t thinking of chemical birth control at all. I actually was thinking more along the lines of permanent sterilization, which of course is against all I believe in as a Catholic mom and grandma. However, I cannot imagine all the horrors my granddaughters would be going through with a pregnancy that they would not understand. I don’t even know if they could physically handle it, even when they are adults.

I know it is easy for some folks to condemn me outright for my opinions, but maybe some of you who have a child who is Specially Abled (and believe me, as a person with autism myself, I don’t think it is so darned special) might feel a little like me–absolutely torn. Now, I would never advocate making such a decision until they were adults, and based on what level of maturity they gain.

But, of course, birth control of any type is not going to stop a rape. Vigilance can help to prevent it. But no chemical will. I would never, ever call for an abortion in a case of rape; not even “morning after” pills.

And if any one thinks that this doesn’t keep me awake at night, then you certainly don’t know me.

 

[PaulineOsinachi]

But, of course, birth control of any type is not going to stop a rape. Vigilance can help to prevent it. But no chemical will.

Well said Peggy! I was going to comment on this aspect.

Prevention (vigilance) is really better than cure (birth control) in this case. Nothing can take away the trauma of the rape.

I say this because i know a family with a mentally challenged young girl who they are obviously not taking care of enough. Some of the places i see her make me suspect she’s being taken advantage of sexually but it looks like she’s on some birth control and (I’m not trying to judge anyone) you know its a bit like “well now that we have you sterilized at least you wont be bringing back an additional headache (pregnancy) for us so we can wash our hands off you” which really is sad because the rape is in my opinion much worse than the pregnancy afterwards.

So the more important thing is to take care of them such that the rape doesn’t even occur and consequently no need for birth control.
I’m not saying this is your case. I’m just quoting you because you said exactly what i was going to say.

 

[Marie5890]

Not rare enough, especially if they are institutionalized.

My granddaughters are extremely autistic and non-verbal.

No one could hear them scream, because they don’t. And they would never be able to tell what happened.

They are six years old, and already my daughter is scared to death that someday, after all of us have passed on, that the girls might wind up in an institution. Rape happens in nursing homes to the elderly and to severly retarded girls. In the case of the younger ones, sometimes the only “proof” is when there is a baby on the way.

Thank you for that honest reply.

And I would add, not only is it “not rare” enough, it’s quite common for those who are institutionalized.

 

[paperwight66]

So the more important thing is to take care of them such that the rape doesn’t even occur and consequently no need for birth control.
I’m not saying this is your case. I’m just quoting you because you said exactly what i was going to say.

Well, that’s easier said than done. particularly when the theory nowadays is all about encouraging independence.

A few years ago, there was the case here in the UK of a Downs Syndrome young woman who could cope perfectly with the short bus journey to her sheltered workshop, and loved doing it. Unfortunately she was taken and raped, even though to do so meant removing her incontinence pads.

When they are adults. nannying isn’t always welcomed.

 

[Friday_child]

This is a very difficult suggestion and riles all sorts of ethical issues.

Is it right that the parent should make this decision for a young woman just because she is living with a disability?

On the other hand it is very true that women/girls with learning difficulties are at an extreme risk, the issue of consent being the main problem. The man will say she consented, even if she had did she have the capacity to do so fully informed of what would happen to her?

As someone else has said should we be pumping hormones into a young body “just in case”?

I honestly can’t answer any of these questions, I sit on the fence too much perhaps, but I would rather take this on an individual basis than use it as a blanket rule.

xxx

 

[incense]

My granddaughters are extremely autistic and non-verbal.

I want to stand in the streets and scream that something is happening to our children! Why so many autistic kids? Twenty years ago, a friend was assured by the doctors that her second child would not be autistic, it was statistically “impossible”. Yes, the next one was autistic too. And you, Peggy, have more than one grandchild who is autistic too. God bless you and your daughter and may He always shower you both with abundant graces, far more than you need.

 

[Peggy_in_Burien]

I want to stand in the streets and scream that something is happening to our children! Why so many autistic kids? Twenty years ago, a friend was assured by the doctors that her second child would not be autistic, it was statistically “impossible”. Yes, the next one was autistic too. And you, Peggy, have more than one grandchild who is autistic too. God bless you and your daughter and may He always shower you both with abundant graces, far more than you need.

In the case of my family, it seems to be genetic.

I am, as I stated, autistic. My daughter, as it turns out, is autistic. My younger two children are not. My daughter, with the mild autism, has four children. The eldest, who is 8, is perfectly “normal,” however the twin girls (non-identical) have different forms of severe autism, and the 3 year old boy was diagnosed with autism.

My younger sister, who doesn’t have autism, has a boy with Asperger’s Syndrome, which is a form of autism. My cousin’s youngest boy has severe autism.

One of the reasons it seems that autism is more “rampant” these days, is that it is diagnosed properly more often. I wish it could have been diagnosed earlier in me, so I wouldn’t have gone through nearly 40 years of life wondering what the hell was wrong with me and why I still don’t understand what’s going on.

Thanks for the blessings, though.

 

[Not_Sure_1]

Any form of artificial contraception or even the contraception mentality is against the statutes of the Church.

 

[incense]

Any form of artificial contraception or even the contraception mentality is against the statutes of the Church.

That’s what this article was about, it was explaining that this is a case where it would be allowed. You should read it.