VIOLENCE AGAINST PREGNANT WOMEN:

BILL C-484

by Ashley Beaudin
London Free Press, March 28 2008

Bill C-484 should grant national attention The recent bill, Bill C-484, introduced Feb. 29 by Conservative MP, Ken Epp (Edmonton - Sherwood Park) passed its second reading and is expected to go to the Justice and Human Rights Committee.

This bill, also known as the Unborn Victims of Crime Act would create "a separate offence when an unborn child is harmed or killed during the commission of an offence against the child's pregnant mother."

Currently, if an attacker kills a pregnant woman and her child, no charges can be laid to recognize the fetal victim. This leaves the families of the victim, who are left grieving the death of two lives with a feeling of injustice. Notably, in the United States thirty seven states have fetal-homicide laws. But in Canada charges can be laid only if the baby has left the womb. Canada has an opportunity to take a stand for progression and protection; advancing even beyond the world's biggest superpower.

A woman and a child are indeed within the same physical body, but are two separate lives. It seems discriminatory to charge an attacker with one account of homicide when it took two separate lives. In some cases, an attacker attacks a pregnant woman for her baby. When the attacker is only charged for the case of the mother, society affirms the intention of the attacker under the reasoning that the life of the fetus was insignificant.

We are looking at an issue of women's rights. Canada has been applauded for giving an equal voice to all people and being a land of choice. Yet the lack of this legislation is a direct attack on a woman's power to choose. A woman is choosing to receive her baby and beginning to establish a family. When a woman is attacked, suffers a loss of the baby she is carrying and is unable to see any legal action made; that is a degradation of her choice. It also expresses the message that the choice never belonged to her as the baby was taken from her by human hands without any legal repercussions. When a mother chooses life for her child, that child - unborn or not - should be protected under law.

Objectors to the bill have said this law will affect abortion rights; however, this is not the case. This law specifically states that the bill will not apply to any act of omission by the mother of the child, meaning that the mother could not be charged under this legislation for terminating her pregnancy. The presence of this legislation must be demanded by every man and woman. As, the lack of such legislation could be argued not only as a human rights issue in regards to the rights of women and children but also a discriminatory offense against the pregnant women of our nation. The issue here is not one of politics and debate, rather of justice and consequence.

Let's simply by known as a nation who determined to unite for the purpose of protecting our children, rather than be found fighting in the complexity and hype of political agendas that may or may not be affected. We can be a society that defends the vulnerable and cares for the lives of our children.. They are worth dignity and merit our defence.

Copyright 2008