Here’s a familiar scene—pro-lifers and pro-choicers hurling accusations across the street, each blaming the other for victimizing women. One side claims Planned Parenthood is to blame, the other says religious dogmatism is at fault. Maybe both sides agree that society as a whole is part of the problem. Are women merely victims of our culture’s evil? Or is another, more sinister truth lurking beneath the partisan waters?
Not the Whole Story
The pro-choice movement expertly targets women when at their most vulnerable, pushing for extreme solutions to the crisis of unplanned pregnancies. With cult-like precision, Planned Parenthood provides a tidy answer many newly expectant mothers seek. And while it’s true that some women feel pressured into getting an abortion by a partner or authority figure, just as many walk into the doors of an abortion clinic of their own free. Not to mention, most order pills online as the most convenient and easy way to do this. An estimated 1,126,000 abortions were provided by US clinicians in 2025, this includes surgical and chemical abortion.
That apparent lack of choice isn’t solely the fault of pro-abortion groups—it is a failure of the whole pro-life movement.
The True Crime
Here’s the reality—abortion shouldn’t be an option at all. There are 14 out of 50 states, pro-life groups have passed heartbeat bills allowing abortions up to around 6 weeks. And states that do have some limits on abortion, usually have exceptions for cases of incest and rape.
Many pro-life advocates of heartbeat bills claim this approach saves lives. That somehow, by slowly pushing back the acceptable date to get an abortion, the practice will be abolished altogether. But heartbeat bills miss the mark of abolition.
Why does this matter? Because a child is no less a human at 3 days gestation than they are at 9 months gestation. Legislating bills that allow for murder instructs the people that murder is acceptable. Even if they save some, they delay the abolition of abortion allowing it to continue to be legally protected for even longer.
The incremental approach to ending abortion (known as incrementalism) is just as evil as unregulated abortion. And as Christians, we aren’t called to regulate evil—we’re called to abolish it.
In this way one could argue the pro-life movement is actually more at fault. Their refusal to push for the full and complete abolition of abortion tutors women in our culture that it is ok to kill children. It doesn't matter how many times you say something is bad, if you say, "don't do this but if you do we aren't going to punish you and stop anyone who tries" what are you communicating? "Murder your child and we will protect you."
Women are human beings with their own thoughts and actions, autonomous as far as their decisions. The pro-life movement treats women as though they are incapable of making their own decisions. I have asked this question and have seen others ask as well, "If abortion had the threat of the death penalty or a life sentence would you have still gotten it?" Every woman I have heard answer this question says no. This demonstrates that women can indeed weigh the risks and benefits and make their own decision.
The True Victims
So who is it that victimizes who? Ultimately, there are 3 groups who victimize one clear person.
All people actively involved in aborting the child whether they choose it, assist in it, or convince someone to do it.
The pro abortionists who pressure our culture to continue the massacre.
And the pro-lifers who refuse to step up and defend our littlest neighbors.
Children are the true victims.
A Place for Women
Women are not the victims. They are the agents of change. And regardless of a state’s legislation, every woman has a choice to either protect life or to end it.
Women are more than mindless followers of authority or products of an evil society. They are also more than the failings of their own decisions. Regardless of past choices and wounds, women are valuable and deserve the dignity afforded to all humans—no matter what stage of development they’re in.
A woman’s choice matters. Because to choose life means choosing to protect the most vulnerable members of society so that one day, they may also have a voice of their own. But our choices also matter, do we push for laws that victimize women or laws that will serve to protect them and their child?
If you have questions or thoughts on this feel free to share them. Join the cause for the lives of our littlest neighbors. If you are interested, fill out a form on our homepage!
Ignite Hearts | Obey Christ | Protect Lives
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