When making decisions such as what to eat for dinner or which dress to wear at Homecoming, most teens would ask their parents for advice. However, in life-altering situations, most minors find it much more difficult to confide in their guardians. Due to the societal stigma as well as familial and economic damage it can cause, the decision of aborting should not be restricted by parental consent, but rather be a choice made by the patient.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, 21 states require parental consent for a minor to have an abortion as of Oct. 1. This means that before a girl can go through the actual procedure, her parents must give official consent.
According to neuroscientist Sandra Aamodt from NPR, this may seem to be a logical precautionary step to take, as the brain does not reach full maturity until the age of 25. However, there are more factors that come into play when confronting a parent. The most pressing being the relationship between a child and guardian.
The Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) found that in 2018, 80% of all sexual assault cases were between a child and their family member, practically eliminating the option of abortion under this law.
Research conducted by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) found that nearly 30% said that, because their parents had physically abused them before, they knew they would be beaten as a consequence, and over 22% of girls who did not tell their parents did so because they feared they would be disowned by their families, and according to the Guttmacher Institute. Pro-Choice parents also opposed to premarital sex will refuse to allow their daughter an abortion, yet will also refuse to support her in navigating parenthood.
With the requirement of parental consent, more minors are left without a home, without support, and without a choice.
While many states who abide by these laws have options of a Judicial Bypass, where a patient can legally have an abortion if a court rules in her favor, the truth of the matter is that it hardly counts as an option. The price of giving up personal information to the public and damaging their reputation is simply not one many young girls and their families are willing to pay.
Studies conducted by the National Conference of State Legislatures found that unwanted teen pregnancies are strongly linked to higher poverty rates with only 22% of unexpected teen mothers graduating high school as it “disrupts their educational and career goals.”
Not only is this law stripping girls of their bodily rights, but of the decision to create a new future for themselves as well.
Taking into consideration the impact this decision has on young girls, aborting is clearly on a different level than requiring parental consent for other surgeries. The social and religious stigma surrounding the issue as well as it’s lasting repercussions transforms this issue from simply a medical standpoint into an economic and legal one. Even if minors have not yet reached full cognitive maturity, they are the only ones able to comprehend their own set of circumstances.
Laws requiring minors to have parental consent for an abortion has become a corner for those in malignant family situations to be backed into. If we are to truly keep our young girls safe and healthy, it is time that we give them this independence rather than continue to make choices for them.
