The Abortion Problem is a Poverty Problem
It is difficult to solve one problem (abortion) without solving the other problem (poverty).
The USCCB endorses documents that explain how "poverty can lead to an increase in abortions."
Let us look at some statistics:
Let us look at some more statistics:
Doesn't this data show upper & middle class women having more abortions? We must continue:
Statistical Conclusions:
Recall: We have 2 Problems:
1. The Poverty Problem
2. The Abortion Problem
Catholics must work to end abortion through:
In summary:
Sources:
It is difficult to solve one problem (abortion) without solving the other problem (poverty).
The USCCB endorses documents that explain how "poverty can lead to an increase in abortions."
- Note: Please recognize that people seek abortions for reasons outside of poverty. This article is used to illustrate how many issues are interconnected.
Let us look at some statistics:
- 49% of people seeking abortions are living in poverty (<100% of federal poverty level)
- 26% of people seeking abortions are low income (100-199% of federal poverty level)
- 25% of people seeking abortions are middle / high income (200+% of federal poverty line)
Let us look at some more statistics:
- Single women who make $47,000 or more a year: abort 32% of their pregnancies
- Single women making $11,670 a year or less: abort 8.6% of their pregnancies
- Single women in the middle: abort 11% of their pregnancies
Doesn't this data show upper & middle class women having more abortions? We must continue:
- Women have about the same amount of sex regardless of class
- The Brookings Institution found that single women at or below the federal poverty line were three times as likely to get pregnant in a given year than middle-class single women.
Statistical Conclusions:
- "Middle-class women may abort more of their pregnancies, but since they get pregnant way less often, they still have fewer abortions overall." - In other words: the problem is still a poverty problem
- Limits to the Research: The research conducted by the Brookings Institution pertains to single women alone. More research could be done to account for women who are in relationships/marriages.
Recall: We have 2 Problems:
1. The Poverty Problem
2. The Abortion Problem
Catholics must work to end abortion through:
- Indirect political means (voting for a candidate who supports people in poverty) (The Poverty Problem)
- Because: Lower class women abort a higher number of babies and make up 75% of annual abortions.
- Direct political means (voting against a candidate who supports abortion) (The Abortion Problem)
- Because: Middle and Upper class women abort a higher percentage of their pregnancies (32%).
In summary:
- According to statistics, a political candidate who supports the Preferential Option for the Poor and Economic Justice to alleviate those living in poverty will have a greater impact on lowering the number of abortions committed on an annual basis.
- This does not mean that abortion is a small issue; we must simply remember that abortion is a poverty issue.
Sources:
- Study conducted in 02/15 by Richard V. Reeves and Joanna Venator: https://www.brookings.edu/research/sex-contraception-or-abortion-explaining-class-gaps-in-unintended-childbearing/
- https://www.guttmacher.org/infographic/2016/abortion-patients-are-disproportionately-poor-and-low-income
- http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2015/03/02/poor_women_have_more_abortions_even_though_middle_class_women_abort_more.html
- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/nov/21/pope-benedict-condoms-hiv-infection
