The question of whether abortion is considered murder is a complex and highly debated ethical, moral, and legal issue throughout most of the world.

Different people, societies, and cultures hold varying beliefs and perspectives on this matter.

Even in a country that strongly espouses personal freedom and the separation of church and state like the United States, it is an incredibly divisive issue.

The Bahamas, like many countries where a large segment of the population claims to have deeply held religious beliefs, has restrictive abortion laws.

Abortions on demand are outlawed in The Bahamas, except for when the life of the mother is at risk.

However, the debate has raged for years, with some arguing that illegal medical abortions take place in The Bahamas with regularity.

The debate in The Bahamas was reignited recently, after officials said an 11-year-old girl was raped by her mother's boyfriend, impregnated and later had an abortion using pills.

The boyfriend was charged with five counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and the mother was charged with failing to report the abuse of a minor, aggravated causing harm for the purpose of an abortion and performing an illegal abortion.

While not directly referencing that incident, it was notable that during an address at the 13th Commonwealth Women's Affairs Ministers Meeting in The Bahamas, Law Reform Commissioner Dame Anita Allen said an urgent review of the Penal Code and the interpretation of the protection to the right to life in Article 16 of The Bahamas Constitution ought to be undertaken with a view to possibly decriminalizing abortion, at least in the case of rape and incest.

"This suggestion is proffered firstly because the forced continuation of a pregnancy by rape is likely to subject the victim to further violation, and to lifelong and life-changing stress, and trauma; and secondly, because the state, in failing to guarantee access to legal abortion in such circumstances, may conceivably be in contravention of Article 17, which provides protection from inhuman treatment," said Dame Anita, who did not state her views on abortion outside those parameters.

However, there are others who believe that the conversation is a non-starter, no matter the circumstances.

Grace Community Church Pastor Lyall Bethel is one of them, and he speaks for a large number of evangelical Christians.

"Let me be perfectly clear, rape is a wicked thing and the raping of a child is beyond the pale," Bethel said when recently asked about abortion in the case of the rape of a child.

"Having said that, we can never be justified in murdering a child in the womb."

Those who are pro-life often argue that life begins at conception and, therefore, abortion is equivalent to taking a human life, which they view as morally and ethically wrong, and in many cases, against God's laws for mankind.

From this perspective, abortion is seen as a form of murder.

Those who are pro-choice generally argue that a woman's right to make decisions about her own body, including the decision to have an abortion, should be respected and protected.

They often do not consider abortion to be murder because they believe that a fetus does not have the same moral status as a fully developed human being.

Many say our abortion laws reflect our prevailing societal and cultural beliefs about when life begins and whether abortion is considered murder.

Philosophers, ethicists, and religious scholars have debated the question of when life begins and whether a fetus possesses the same moral status as a person for millennia.

These debates involve complex considerations of personhood, consciousness, and potentiality.

Therefore, it is not surprising to see Prime Minister Philip Davis appear reluctant to address the issue.

When asked if the government is considering amending the law for abortion in instances of rape, the prime minister responded, "To achieve what? The laws are on the books. Abortion is still a crime; rape is still a crime, and carrying very hefty, hefty penalties. I mean, I don't know what instance that you think, or what other mischief that the law does not cover in respect to what you asked."

Davis also curiously said he would respect the personal choice of anyone who got an abortion, which conflicts with support of the current abortion laws.

Given successive governments' reluctance to address something as straightforward as marital rape, we doubt there is any political appetite to address the abortion issue, despite our current regime being in need of review.

The post A new development in the abortion debate appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.

The post A new development in the abortion debate appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.

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