Monday, August 20, 2012

Blaming rape survivors

Below is an email from Kat Barr of the organization UltraViolet. Kat created a petition on SignOn.org, the nonprofit site that allows anyone to start their own online petition. If you have concerns or feedback about this petition, click here.

Sign the petition

Dear MoveOn member,

Victims of "legitimate rape" can't get pregnant because a woman's body will shut down and prevent the pregnancy. Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) actually said that—in other words, he's saying that if a woman does get pregnant, she must not have been raped. Even scarier? He's running—and leading—in the race for Missouri's senate seat.

What he said was bad, but it was hardly a gaffe or poor choice of words. In 2011 he and Rep. Paul Ryan led the push in the House of Representatives to redefine rape as "forcible rape" in order to further restrict rape survivors' access to abortions. As a state senator, Akin questioned whether anti-marital rape laws would be abused by women in messy divorces.

Anyone who doesn't understand basic biology and tries to create more hurdles for rape survivors seeking justice doesn't belong in the United States Congress.

That's why I created a petition on SignOn.org to Rep. Todd Akin, U.S. House of Representatives, which says:

Rep. Todd Akin, your comments about survivors of rape are shocking and offensive. Anyone who doesn't understand basic biology and wants to create more barriers for rape survivors seeking justice does not belong in the United States Congress. You must resign right away.

Click here to add your name to this petition, and then pass it along to your friends.

Thanks!

–Kat Barr, UltraViolet

This petition was created on SignOn.org, the progressive, nonprofit petition site. SignOn.org is sponsored by MoveOn Civic Action, which is not responsible for the contents of this or other petitions posted on the site. UltraViolet didn't pay us to send this email—we never rent or sell the MoveOn.org list.

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This email was sent to eddie alfaro on August 20, 2012. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

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