Should it be a woman’s right to choose, or should the government have the right to interject? This has been a widely debated topic, and for good reason. The ramifications of overturning Roe V. Wade and allowing outlaws of abortions are insurmountable, but is all life a gift that shouldn’t be taken lightly?

Issues surrounding abortion has raised significant debate in the United States and worldwide. This is an issue that has caused significant separations of certain religious groups which state that an unborn child is equal to that of someone who has been born, and the activists who strive for bodily rights and the decision to choose.

For those of you not familiar with Roe V. Wade, in 1973 the Supreme Court was involved in a state case in which a woman who wanted to have her pregnancy terminated in a state that had a law preventing abortion.

In 1971 Norma McCovey filed a lawsuit against Henry Wade, Attorney general of Texas which at the time had a law that allowed abortions only if it was medically necessary.

States are absolutely allowed to regulate a very wide range of actions in the interest of protecting its people, but the Constitution limits the states right to regulate. In Roe V. Wade, McCovey (Roe) had to argue that the Constitution protected her liberty to choose if she wanted to have an abortion over the states right to regulate it, and the Supreme Court partially agreed. After the Supreme Court declared that the right to choose or receive an abortion is a fundamental liberty, and in order for the state to choose to limit it they would have to have very significant interest. So, the Court ruled that it was, in fact, a woman’s liberty right (right to control whether or not she is pregnant). McCovey (Roe) based her argument on the word “liberty” contained in the due process clauses of the Constitution’s 5th and the 14th Amendments. The due process clause says that no person can be deprived of “life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.”

So why are we not ending the argument there? It is clearly stated that no one can be deprived of liberty, but it also states life. This opens the door to a wide verity of topics ranging from religious to scientific; but fails to acknowledge that it is a woman’s right to choose, even if you don’t agree with it.

A common argument used by pro-lobbyists is that the amount of abortions is at an all-time high; nearly 45% of pregnancies amongst U.S. women in 2011 were unintended, and about 4 in 10 were terminated by abortion, whereas 19% of pregnancies excluding miscarriages in 2014 were ended in abortion, and 14.6% today. Alongside this, approximately 926,200 abortions were performed in 2014, a decrease of 12% from 1.06 million in 2011. Abortion rates in 2014 were 14.6 abortions per 100 women ages 15-44, down 14% from 16.9 per 100 in 2011 which was the absolute lowest rate ever observed in the United States. The year abortion became legal the abortion rate was sitting at 16.3%.

17% percent of abortion patients in 2014 identified as mainline Protestant, 13% as evangelical Protestant and 24% as Catholic; 38% reported no religious affiliation and the remaining 8% reported some other affiliation. 51% of all abortion patients in 2014 also were using some form of a contraceptive method like condoms or birth control in the month they became pregnant; the most common was condoms at 24% or a hormonal method at 13%.

Well, in 1973 the abortion rate was at 16.9%, with a population of 211.9 million people. This is important because 16.9% of 211.9 million is 34,539,700. Today the abortion rate is 14.6%, and with a population currently sitting at 327.2 million, that is 47,771,200 total abortions. Since 1973 the population in the states has grown by 64.52%, yet abortions have only increased by 17.7% since the same year. So yes, abortion rates are high in the sense of total numbers increasing as population does, but that does not mean that abortions are common practice amongst women.

Why am I giving you these facts? Well, let’s break it down it, shall we? More than half the U.S. abortion patients in 2014 were in their 20s, in fact, 20-24-year-olds accounted for 34% of all abortions, with patients aged 25-29 obtained 27%. Only 12% of abortion patients in 2014 were adolescents, those aged 18-19 accounted for about 8% of all abortions and 15-17-year-olds account for 3%. Females ages 16-19 are 4 times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault. Women ages 18-24 who are college students are 3 times more likely, whereas females of the same age who are not enrolled in college are 4 times more likely. Women aged 20-30 account for 61% of all abortions; whereas, women aged 18-34 are 54% likely to be sexually assaulted.

That is a shocking number, not only as it relates to unwanted pregnancy and the debate on abortions, but as a rising epidemic in our country that doesn’t get the recognition it deserves as an emergency, and we can see a direct correlation between ages of sexual assault (reported) and an increase of violent acts like sexual assault, including rape that results in pregnancy. While the statistics vary marginally, it is also important to consider how many sexual assaults take place that is not reported, including but not limiting those committed by family members or partners, so I have chosen to leave the data out and allow you to do your own research on the matter.

Rape is also the most underreported crime in America, and it wasn’t until the 1970s that the first rape crisis center was established. Using statistics found from the National Violence Against Women Survey found that 1 in 6 U.S. Women had experienced an attempted or completed rape as a child, adult or both, and two-thirds of rape and sexual assaults committed remain unreported.

Something that never gets enough attention is abortions that are either pressured onto a woman by a significant other or mutually agreed on. I bring this up because it is a hot topic that never gets any light. The data shows just that, data. It is helpful, in fact, it is, downright necessary, but it doesn’t take into consideration things like this; pressure, or mutual agreement between partners.

Well, what about late-term abortions? Abortion clinics have been decreasing (from 1,720 to 1,671 between 2011 and 2014) only 10% of clinics allowed for abortions up to 24 weeks (most only offered it when medically required)

So what do we make of all of this? It is a lot of data, and it is a lot to take in on such a widely debated topic. The bottom line is this isn’t a debate that needs religion or personal views, as hard as that is. We need to understand that we DON’T UNDERSTAND and IT IS NOT OUR CHOICE. We don’t understand what these women have or are facing, we don’t understand the choices and the turmoil they are experiencing, and furthermore, it is not our body, not our right.

The raw data provided should be a good starting point. I try to remain as unbiased as possible when reporting topics, and I try to instill that on my readers as well. Use this data to provide a starting point for you to continue your research if you are still on the fence, either way about it.

The date provided is readily available to you at any time, the data speaks for itself and the morality and ethical dilemma isn’t yours to face. Morally, the woman would have to live with any regret or religious penalties, ethically we can’t tell someone what to do with their bodies. It really is that simple, their decision does not have the slightest impact on you.

If religion takes a place in your decision, stand by that belief and don’t get an abortion, let your higher power sort out the details, and leave day to day stuff to the women whose choice it is.