A Republican politician sparked outrage after saying women should control when they "allow" a man to ejaculate inside of them and their intake of semen in a baffling interview.
The ridiculous comments came after the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs Wade, ending constitutional protections for abortion that have been in place for nearly 50 years.
It is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half of US states.
After the ruling, Republican Karianne Lisonbee described a text she said she received that urged her to hold men accountable for unwanted pregnancies.
The Clearfield Republican told reporters at a news conference at the Utah Capitol on Friday: “I got a text message today saying I should seek to control men’s ejaculations and not women’s pregnancies.... I do trust women enough to control when they allow a man to ejaculate inside of them and to control that intake of semen."
The politician wanted to reassure Utahns that lawmakers want them to have justice after sexual assaults, The Salt Lake Tribune reports.
One in six Utah women have reported been raped, which is higher than the national average, according to a 2016 study by Utah State University.
The video has attracted widespread criticism with one Twitter user saying: "This might be the dumbest thing I have heard so far this weekend.
"So this woman believes women control when a man can ejaculate.
"If Republicans believe this, then it's the man's fault for lack of self-control and they should have vasectomies."
A second added: "Woman should control their intake of semen. So. Much. Rage."
A third ironically echoed: "Ladies! Control your intake of semen!"
"Republican politician Karianne Lisonbee says a woman needs to use control when she 'allows' a man to ejaculate inside her," added another.
"She thinks a woman must control the amount of semen she receives to avoid an unwanted pregnancy. I literally have no words."
Ms Lisonbee wasn't the only Republican who supported Friday's ruling, with Utah Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, adding: “I believe as an American we need to protect the life of not only the unborn, we need to be respectful of all life, and hopefully that’s what the Supreme Court has done today."
Meanwhile, Senator Dan McCay, R-Riverton, said: “50 years ago, the Supreme Court created the ability for abortions to be conducted in the state of Utah, despite the fact it was against the law.
"Today, the Supreme Court restored that power to the state."
Friday's ruling saw the US Supreme Court overturn Roe vs Wade, allowing individual states to ban it.
Justice Alito, in the final opinion issued on Friday, said that Roe and Planned Parenthood v Casey, the 1992 decision that reaffirmed the right to abortion, was wrong the day it was decided and must be overturned.
Authority to regulate abortion rests with the political branches, not the courts, Justice Alito wrote.
President Joe Biden said “it’s a sad day for the court and the country” as protesters urged his administration to find a way to overrule it.
The decision came against a backdrop of public opinion surveys that find a majority of Americans oppose overturning Roe vs Wade and handing the question of whether to permit abortion entirely to the states.
Polls conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research and others also have consistently shown about one in 10 Americans want abortion to be illegal in all cases.
A majority are in favour of abortion being legal in all or most circumstances but polls indicate many also support restrictions especially later in pregnancy.
Protests have been taking place across the US and other parts of the world, with tens of thousands of pro-choice activists taking to the streets of New York City, Los Angeles and Washington DC.
In Phoenix, police fired teargas at protestors after they appeared to breach the State Senate building. Staff were evacuated but there were no reports of injuries.
At least 25 were arrested in New York City after around 17,000 took to Washington Square Park in light of the controversial ruling.
13 states, mainly in the south and midwest, already had laws on the books that ban abortion in case Roe was overturned, while another six states have near-total bans or prohibitions after six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant.
In England, Scotland and Wales, abortions can take place in the first 24 weeks of pregnancy
However, they have to be approved by two doctors and they must agree that having the baby would pose a greater risk to the physical or mental health of the woman than a termination.
It is allowed after this time period if there is a risk to the life of the woman, evidence of severe foetal abnormality or risk of grave physical and mental injury to the woman.
But in Northern Ireland, abortion can only be obtained if the woman’s life is at risk and in some cases of foetal abnormality.
