Abortion Criminalized in Georgia: Women Can Face Up to 30 Years

Abortion is a topic that many have an opinion on. Whether one is pro-life or pro-choice, when a new abortion law is implemented, a lot changes — especially if that law could send a woman to prison for up to 30 years.

According to Slate, Gov. Brian Kemp signed HB 481 this past Monday — an outlandish abortion ban. Under this bill, any woman who terminates a child with a detectable heartbeat can be charged for murder. A heartbeat occurs around six weeks into the pregnancy and according to the American Pregnancy Association, women do not find out they are pregnant until about four to seven weeks in. Also, after making an appointment to receive an abortion it usually takes two weeks to have the procedure done. So, under this bill most women who want abortions will be too far along to do so. The bill also gives fetuses ‘legal personhood.’

In a country that provides freedom, when abortion is banned, that country goes against everything they stand for. Many people have taken a stand against this hypocrisy, including film companies who have decided to not work in Georgia.

According to CNN, chief executive officers, Christine Vachon who runs Killer Films, David Simon who runs Blown Deadline Brothers Productions and Mark Duplass who runs Duplass Brothers Productions have all agreed to no longer film in Georgia.

These film companies are not the only ones who openly disapprove of the new policy. Many people have taken to social media to talk about the absurdity of the bill.

Pete Buttigieg, 2020 presidential race candidate, took to Twitter stating, “Georgia’s abortion ban is a cruel attack on women’s autonomy and freedom — one that we must continue to resist.”

The tweet generated 100,000 likes and has been retweeted nearly 20,000 times. People are concerned for the livelihood of many woman who are now going to be forced to give birth or face criminal charges.

Slate says woman who experience miscarriages could also be investigated if a prosecutor believes the miscarriage was planned. These woman, if convicted, can be charged with murder as well.

But Georgia is not the only state who has decided to implement a new abortion policy. According to CBS, Alabama might be adding a new bill as soon as Tuesday. Apparently, the bill bans abortion with no exceptions to rape victims or incest.

CBS says that if the bill is passed it would be the strictest abortion ban since the procedure has been protected in 1973 Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade.

Although the bill is likely to be passed, according to CBS, it is unlikely to be implemented before a Federal judge interferes. This is because it goes against the Supreme Court ruling of Roe v. Wade.

Even though the Alabama bill may not be implemented, Georgia has now sent woman and activists around the nation on a rampage. The new bill is a direct attack on woman and is terrifying to think about in 2019.

As the nation continues to push for fair abortion privileges for woman, it is policies like these that continue to push backward.

Author’s Note: Photo Courtesy of Vox

Photo Courtesy of Time