VIOLENCE AGAINST PREGNANT WOMEN:

A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO HAVE A BABY
by Sarah Sonne
The Toronto Star, June 9 2008

Letter to the Editor Re:Pro-lifers, not women's shelters, love Bill C-484, June 6 2008

In defending "women's rights," Antonia Zerbisias is actually limiting choices for women. To say that Bill C-484 is anti-woman and anti-choice, or that "women's interests are not paramount," is illogical and unfounded. Bill C-484 was created specifically to support women's interests in the protection of their unborn children. The act states, "This section does not apply in respect of conduct relating to the lawful termination of the pregnancy of the mother of the child to which the mother has consented."

The bill is not about abortion. It simply states that when a mother has chosen to carry her child to full term, the law supports that choice and will not allow someone to take that freedom away from her without consequences. We're not talking about a return to "coat hangers and knitting needles" here; we're talking about weapons being used to take a pregnancy away from a woman by force.

Bill C-484 does not change the definition of a human being, nor does it take any choice or rights away from women. It empowers a woman's choice to reproduce and it sends a clear message that violence against pregnant women is wrong by addressing the very thing that defines a pregnancy – her fetus.

The bill attempts to empower a victim of violence by validating her choices and freedom, yet it appears that its critics are concerned with everyone whom it does not apply to.

Find a woman whose pregnancy has ended because of violence and ask her how she feels.

Sarah Sonne, Vanier, Ont.