Louisiana Rep. Delisha Boyd is advocating for an exemption to Louisiana's strict abortion ban for pregnancies resulting from rape and incest. Boyd, a Democratic lawmaker from New Orleans, shared her personal story to highlight the importance of allowing survivors to make their own choices. Her mother was a victim of statutory rape at 15, leading to Boyd's birth in 1969, before abortion was legalized in the U.S.
Boyd emphasized the challenges faced by rape and incest survivors in Louisiana, where they are forced to carry pregnancies to term or seek abortions in other states. Supporters of the ban argue that if Boyd's mother had aborted, the lawmaker wouldn't exist today.
Boyd acknowledged that while she doesn't regret being born, her mother's early death due to the trauma of raising a child as a teen impacted her. She highlighted the potential negative outcomes for children of teen mothers, such as foster care or involvement in drugs or crime.
Since introducing the exemption bill, Boyd has heard similar stories, including that of a 13-year-old rape survivor who gave birth and a 9-year-old girl impregnated after assault. Louisiana's abortion law, enacted in 2022 after Roe v. Wade was overturned, allows exceptions only in cases of maternal risk or fatal fetal abnormalities.
In 2021, Louisiana reported 7,444 abortions, with 27 involving patients under 15. A study revealed over 64,000 pregnancies from rape in states with strict abortion bans. Boyd's bill, facing a GOP-dominated committee, aims to amend the age limit for exceptions to 17 and younger.
Despite facing opposition in Louisiana, Boyd hopes her mother's story will shed light on the challenges faced by pregnant survivors of rape and incest, potentially swaying some lawmakers. She emphasized the lack of support her mother received and the need to consider survivors' emotional and psychological well-being.
