The Dominican Republic legislature narrowly defeated an amendment to a bill that would have permitted abortions in cases of pregnancy by rape. The amendment was heavily opposed by the Catholic church and other religious right-wingers; the local bishop claims the issue has nothing to do with religion.

The House of Representatives of the Dominican Republic has backed away from legalizing abortion in cases of rape in a new National Penal Code, approved on Tuesday.  The new Code now goes to the Senate for approval.

Last week lawmakers presented the reformed penal code, the first draft of which included a clause legalizing abortion in cases of rape.  The initial draft drew widespread protests from the Dominican Republic Bishops’ Conference and other organizations.

Although it initially appeared that the modified Code - including the abortion legalization clause - would be approved, lawmakers in the House were persuaded by pro-life lobbyists not to include the clause in the final draft. . . .

Last week, the Secretary General of the Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Ramon Benito Angeles, explained that an abortion in the case of a rape does not benefit the woman who has suffered such a trauma. . . .

“Abortion is not a religious issue, it’s a human rights issue.  Those in favor of abortion paint the discussion as if this were a question of imposing religion.  This is not about an argument between religions.  Today in the Dominican Republican we are being plagued by apparently uncontrollable violence.  Every day the media surprises us with more reports of horrendous deaths and deplorable events,” the bishop said.

There you have it. Abortion is terrorism, not having to bear a rapist’s child is of no benefit to women, and the Catholic church’s concerted efforts to impose forced pregnancy and forced childbirth on rape survivors have nothing to do with imposing their religious beliefs on others; women’s rejection of the Church’s teachings about forced childbirth do not constitute an argument between religious beliefs.

That clears that up.