Tonight I saw a commercial in opposition to Prop 85, stating that proposition 85 would force a child to tell an abusive parent that she was having an abortion. The implication was that telling the parent could potentially put the child at risk of her parent harming her. The irony of that implication aside, it is frankly untrue. Proponents of the bill simply support abortion on demand, under any circumstances, any age, any time. The interest of the child is not their motive.

The text of the bill is clear.

Notice shall not be required under this Section if waived pursuant to this subdivision and subdivisions (h) or (i) or (j)

(h)(2) If the judge finds, by clear and convincing evidence, that notice to a parent or guardian is not in the best interests of the unemancipated minor, the judge shall authorize a waiver of notice. If the finding that notice to a parent or guardian is not in the best interests of the minor is based on evidence of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, the court shall ensure that such evidence is brought to the attention of the appropriate county child protective agency.

Not only does this clearly present that children with abusive parents will be protected, but it goes one step beyond and reports the parents for their abuses! It’s clear that this is in the best interest of children.

In the Article “Proposition 85 Parental notification can help stop statutory rape, child molestation” by Edith Black (published online at The Catholic Voice), informs us that

Yet studies across the country are now showing that most minor teenage pregnancies are the result of girls’ sexual activity with adult men, not with their teenage peers. In California a study of 46,000 pregnant teenage girls showed that 71 percent of them were impregnated by adult men whose mean age was 22.6 years. Such sexual predators generally try to cover up their crime by arranging for their victim to have an abortion, sometimes even coercing them.

With this in mind, it certainly seems that this proposition, if passed, would protect children by “fishing out” statutory rapists.

Proposition 85 is sound policy, with provisions to protect children with potentially abusive parents. It is sound policy, and should deserves passage.

Cross Posted at The Gentle Cricket

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   Pingback by California Conservative » 2006 Election Guide for Voting “Right” — November 7, 2006 @ 2:19 pm

1. Vote Yes,

   Amend the state constitution to prohibit abortion for any unemancipated minor until 48 hours after a physician notifies the minor’s parent or guardian — with exceptions for medical emergencies or in the case that a parent or guardian has waived the right to be notified.
   Allow a minor to obtain a court order waiving notification if the minor can demonstrate “clear and convincing evidence of minor’s maturity or best interests.”
   Mandate various reporting requirements, including reports from physicians on the number of abortions that they perform on minors.
   Authorize monetary damages against physicians who break the law.
   Require minor’s consent for abortion procedure to be carried out, with certain exceptions, and permit judicial relief if consent is coerced.

   Comment by jorgey — November 2, 2006 @ 1:00 am