"Legitimate Rape" = Disdain for Women

I try to stay out of politics in this blog, but yesterday's comments by Senate candidate Rep. Todd Akin have me incensed. He's a republican. I would be equally incensed if I heard such disdain for women from the mouth of a democrat.

His original statement was this piece of inanity that has no basis in medical fact, "First of all, from what I understand from doctors, [pregnancy from rape] is really rare. If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.”

His unapology did further damage, “In reviewing my off-the-cuff remarks, it’s clear that I misspoke in this interview, and it does not reflect the deep empathy I hold for the thousands of women who are raped and abused every year...Those who perpetrate these crimes are the lowest of the low in our society and their victims will have no stronger advocate in the Senate to help ensure they have the justice they deserve....I recognize that abortion, and particularly in the case of rape, is a very emotionally charged issue. But I believe deeply in the protection of all life and I do not believe that harming another innocent victim is the right course of action."

I'm fuming. Here's why:
Akin's depth of disdain for women is crystal clear.

1. he has empathy for the woman
2. the rapist should be punished,
3. the "innocent zygote/fetus" protected.

What's wrong with this thinking?

1. The woman is nothing but a vessel for the "innocent victim" - mean zygote/fetus. But the woman is so much more. She is a living human being who is the real innocent victim. And so I ask:
2. What about the punishment that the innocent woman goes through for 9 months - knowing that she carries the spawn of a violent violation/attack - surely the work of the devil (if you believe in such things which he purports to)?
3. What about the punishment the innocent woman goes through each time the fetus kicks or turns and she's reminded of the devil's attack?
4. What about the punishment the innocent woman goes through each time she has to take time off of work to visit a doctor - possibly losing income?
5. What about the punishment the innocent woman goes through each time she has to consider what to do about the fetus?
6. What about the punishment the innocent woman goes through each time she has to meet with agencies if she decides to adopt - possibly losing income?
7. What about the punishment the innocent woman goes through each time she's debased when people think she's an "unwed mother."
8. What about the punishment the innocent woman goes through when on top of dealing with the long-term mental health consequences of a devil's attack/rape, she is also dealing with the mental health consequences of an unwanted pregnancy?
9. What about the punishment the innocent woman goes through when the pregnancy itself could cause her death? (A 2010 study notes that the lifetime risk of maternal deaths is greater in the United States than in 40 other countries, including virtually all industrialized nations.)
10. What about the punishment the innocent woman goes through when the delivery itself could cause her death? (see above)
11. What about the punishment the innocent woman goes through explaining to loved ones what happened to her and their daily reminder (through her pregnancy) of the devil's act/rape?
12. What about the punishment the innocent woman goes through when she incurs the out of pocket medical expenses associated with the pregnancy and birth brought about by the devil's act/rape?
13. What about the punishment the innocent woman goes through when she has to stop work at some point and the U.S. has no paid maternal leave.
14. What about the punishment the innocent woman goes through if she loses her job because of her pregnancy?
15. What about the punishment the innocent woman goes through when she has to spend hard earned money to accommodate the changes her body goes through during a pregnancy that she did not want brought upon by the devil's attack/rape?
16. What about the punishment the innocent woman goes through each morning that she has morning sickness or suffers from other pregnancy-related problems brought upon by the devil's attack/rape?
17. What about the innocent woman who along with a pregnancy has to deal with the debasing legal system in order to take advantage of Akin's  promise to make sure the devil/rapists get the "justice they deserve?"
18. Please add yours in the comments...

All of this applies equally to women who are victims of incest.

This has me absolutely furious and committed to bring women back into the discussion about contraceptive decisions and access to abortion - which has focused for WAY too long on the "innocent" zygote/fetus.

In Sisterhood,
Susan