Criminalized abortion will mean search warrants and arrests

Whave talked to a doctor recently.

In a world with Republicans’ forced birth policies, any pregnancy that does not come to full term would be under reasonable suspicion and may prompt at least an initial investigation.

Someone being investigated might respond to these inquiries: no, I miscarried. But then: “Are there any witnesses to corroborate? Did you want to miscarry? Did you cause your miscarriage?”

Will men be targeted for having abortions? No. Health care workers for providing them? Yes.

Like most criminal investigations, a police officer then takes a case to a district attorney, many of whom in Colorado are Republican elected officials. The case is evaluated and a plea deal may be offered to avoid a jury trial. Women will either have to plead guilty, which is a public record or take their reproductive decisions to trial before a jury to discuss menstruation patterns, doctor’s visits, or last sexual intercourse. In a public trial.

Maybe she is acquitted; maybe she is convicted.

If convicted, the patient now may become a felon and could face prison time. This often means losing custody of kids, splitting up a family, losing a home or being evicted, or losing a job. In some states, felons lose their right to vote and their professional licenses, and are impacted in future employment or housing.

Even if acquitted, she has now been traumatized and violated by a cruel and barbaric invasion of privacy and equal rights under the law.

To put anyone through this process is degrading and inhumane. She has lost agency over her body so that she can be scrutinized by members of a political party intent on imposing their religious beliefs on the entire population — all for seeking a regular medical procedure.

Instead, abortion goes underground and unregulated. Anyone of means will travel to other states who still provide legal and safe abortions, but will they be fugitive criminals upon returning home?

In turn, low-income individuals are thus forced by right-wing politicians and judges to give birth to: a child that may not be viable, a child resulting from rape or incest, a child they may not be able to support, a child that further ties them to an abusive partner or a child whose birth may cause their death.

This is the future the Republican Party is trying to make real, before our very eyes. We will not let them.