Every minute and fourteen seconds, a person in the United States is subjected to sexual assault. Statistics compiled by a group fighting sexual violence show that each nine-minute interval, that individual is a minor.
Rather than bringing suspected sex offenders to court, federal authorities seem more focused on appointing them into positions of power. Less than 4% of reported rapes, sexual assaults, and child sexual abuse in some cities ever lead to a sex crime conviction, according to a recent investigation. To emphasize, that percentage covers cases that were officially reported. According to certain analyses, almost 80% of sexual attacks are never reported.
Don't be too critical of the justice system, though. Police and prosecutors seemingly have much more critical issues to address than rapists. Namely: detaining expectant mothers. New research reveals that prosecutors in 16 states charged over four hundred people with offenses tied to pregnancy in the first two years after the nation's highest court's reversal of Roe v Wade.
What constitutes a gestational offense? Excellent question! The majority of the cases included in the recent analysis involved women from disadvantaged backgrounds and allegations of drug use during pregnancy. One case detailed, a woman was taken into custody for a serious neglect charge post-delivery when a substance screening returned positive for cannabis. She in that case possessed a prescription for medical cannabis. Although substance use while expecting is obviously a significant concern that can lead to lasting damage to the infant, studies suggests that making it a crime actually exacerbates health outcomes.
What is most alarming element of this post-Roe trend of "pregnancy-related crimes" is that the statutes employed in most of these prosecutions are intended to safeguard minors rather than fetuses. What we are observing is a increasing normalization of the idea of "fetal personhood", which grants unborn children the complete legal status of a legal person. Per the research, at least two dozen states include language regarding "rights of the unborn" in laws controlling or banning abortion care.
You can understand where this is heading, right? We're headed towards the increased surveillance of pregnant people and the criminalization of any behavior that authorities might deem "risky". Using acetaminophen while pregnant, for instance. "Our research demonstrates is that, unfortunately, anything is possible when it comes to policing pregnancy," a representative stated.
To get a alarming look at the future of the US, consider the nation of El Salvador, which an increasing amount of specialists are warning could serve as a blueprint for the US. Ever since 1998, there has been a total abortion ban in El Salvador, even when the mother's life is in danger. Gestation is strictly monitored and there is what has been termed a "presumed guilty" approach when it comes to females who experience pregnancy-related complications. Although experiencing a spontaneous abortion or a fetal death is not against the law, a recent investigation found El Salvadorian jails are full of inmates who had pregnancy losses. One woman who was imprisoned for a miscarriage stated that "90% of the women who are in prison in El Salvador are in detention for this reason". While that's clearly an anecdote rather than hard data, it's still frightening.
Although there's been a worldwide movement towards easing termination regulations, just four nations have resisted this trend and restricted abortion rights in the past 25 years: the United States, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Poland. The arc of the ethical cosmos is long. But in an increasingly repressive and misogynistic America, it appears not to be bending anywhere near justice.
Recently, Spain's leftist government announced it was planning on following France's lead and enshrining abortion access in the constitution. "With this government, there will be no reversal on civil liberties," the Prime Minister posted on a social media platform.
"A person who says I'm against abortion but is in support of the death penalty is not truly anti-abortion," the Pope stated recently. "Similarly, an individual who says I'm against abortion but they agree with the inhuman treatment of migrants in the United States, I don't know if that's anti-abortion." A rightwing political commentator immediately hurried to explain that, in fact, the argument is "moral madness" and the "capital punishment aligns with pro-life values". Such mental gymnastics involved, they merit a medal.
A prominent pastor, who was part of the presidential faith panel during the previous administration, admitted guilt to sexually abusing a young female in Oklahoma in the 1980s.
Finally, some positive news: a cheese expert from Philadelphia Emilia D'Albero and teammate Courtney Johnson recently won first place at the global cheese competition in France, a contest sometimes known as the "Olympics for cheese professionals". "My teammate ... and I are the initial all-women US team," D'Albero said. "They had never sent two girls before."
Women with children in the UK forfeit an average of £65,618 in pay by the time their oldest child turns five, new figures reveal.
The campaign is referred to as "Project Esther" and is coordinated by a company called Bridges Partner. This is part of a wider initiative, involving massive spending, to rebrand the nation's reputation. If Russia were paying influencers thousands per post, it's likely it would be reported by all news organizations in the US, but hardly anyone has covered on this issue.
A broadcaster tweeted about how he wishes Thunberg, who was part of flotilla activists apprehended by the Israeli military this week, is subjected to torture. "I desire her terrified," he stated. "I want her screaming and pleading for mercy. I envision her rocking in a corner, covering her eyes. pissing and shitting in her pants." He is just the latest in a series of male pundits and politicians to openly threaten on Thunberg. In June, for example, a business executive said he wished a missile hits Thunberg. A conservative lawmaker also openly imagined about the aid ship Thunberg was on sinking.
Last week's newsletter alerted you to the highly significant chubby bear competition. Now I'm delighted to report there's a champion: Chunk. He easily beat bear 602 and will be inducted into the Fat Bear Week Hall of Champions. Glad to be the deliverer of positive updates for once.
