In a vile example of the depths to which anti-abortion activists will stoop to push their agenda, Cincinnati Right to Life leader Laura Strietmann employed misinformation during her proponent testimony at an Ohio House Constitutional Resolutions Committee hearing to protect women's reproductive rights in the state. Strietmann sought to leverage a harrowing case of a 9-year-old rape victim to argue against abortion, asserting that the child's body was designed to carry life and that the abortionist failed to report the crime.
"I know that a 10-year-old might not understand pregnancy, but I also know that a 10-year-old understands life and playing with dolls," Streitmen said. "I know when my daughter was ten years old, she cried and begged for a little sister or a baby. And while a pregnancy might have been difficult on a 10-year-old body, a woman's body is designed to carry life. That is a biological fact. It is not designed to have disgusting death instruments remove her preborn child from her womb. Both situations would be difficult. But we know for a fact that every single time life wins. And that, again, is a statistical fact. It's a terrible, tragic situation. And we must do better to protect children from that kind of difficult situation that allows such heinous horrible abuse. And I'm sorry the abortionist did not report the rape. And I'm sorry that the mother permitted this."
However, Democratic Rep. Jessica E. Miranda vehemently corrected Strietmann's falsehoods, reminding the committee that the rape had indeed been reported and urging for accuracy on the record.
"So in an effort to have things that are accurate on this record, in this very distinguished body, in these halls where laws are made, that is simply untrue," said an upset Miranda. "It was reported. So let us not continue to spread disinformation time and time again about certain families' personal issues that they have dealt with in terms of a 10-year-old rape victim being raped and child sexual abuse. I take extreme offense to that on behalf of the family and the poor 10-year-old who was subjected in that in that way to being raped at such a young tender age."
WCPT820 Radio reported that "throughout the rest of her testimony, Strietmann also argued that over 90% of abortions in Ohio are performed for 'convenience' and simply to 'kill children for profit,' effectively denying that many abortions are needed to save the life of the mother for a variety of medical reasons."
