A pregnancy should be one of the most memorable events in a woman’s life. Yet, for thousands of women who are willfully abandoned by their partners at the news of their pregnancy, it becomes one of the most traumatic events they’ll ever experience, as they are forced to either terminate their pregnancy or go through it on their own.  

Forcing a woman to terminate a pregnancy, or go through a pregnancy on her own, is not only an act of cowardice, lack of decency, and disrespect on behalf of the men responsible for these pregnancies. It is an act of violence against women, as men who willfully abandon the women they impregnated are forcing them to take all responsibility of an act that two people engaged in, and therefore, both should be held accountable for the consequences of such act. This is a violation of women’s rights, which constitutes a violation of human rights, as it discriminates against women for being the bearers of life by making them fully responsible for such life and granting men the ‘choice’, or male privilege, to take any responsibility for such life, which resulted as a consequence of their actions.

Both the Declaration of Human Rights and the Constitution of the United States claim that “we’re all born free and equal and should be treated in the same way.” If this is the case, men should not be permitted to walk away from a pregnancy that resulted as a consequence of their actions without repercussions just because it’s not their bodies carrying the child-to-be. How can we ever truly reach equality when we are both responsible for creating a life, yet we are treated differently because of our bodies’ productive capabilities?

It is this type of discrimination that not only allows men to go free of responsibility, but endorses this type of irresponsible behavior and abuse towards women. If men were treated as equals and be made responsible for pregnancies they help create, they would be more responsible in how they approach women, sex, and consent. Today, many consider ‘consent’ to be limited to both a man and a woman agreeing to engage in sexual acts; however, consent extends to agreeing in how they treat each other’s bodies during the physical act, as well as agreeing in taking responsibility for the consequences that result of such sexual engagement. Abortion is not a choice. A pregnancy is. Therefore, if either a man or woman do not wish to conceive a child, unless expressed otherwise, a man should wear protection or otherwise expect to take responsibility for a pregnancy that might result from his choice to not wear protection. A man should never be permitted to run away from his responsibility and not be held accountable for leaving a woman to be the sole individual responsible for both their actions. If men are held accountable for the pregnancies they conceive, they would be more mindful about unwanted pregnancies, their approach to consent, and their actions. If we ever want to stop talking about women’s right to abortion, we should start talking about men’s responsibility for their actions which can result in, or prevent, unwanted pregnancies.

This is an important matter which must be addressed by the higher legal authorities of this nation, as this is an issue that many women experience, and will keep experiencing, unless the law helps protect our essential human rights. Men who willfully abandon the women they conceived a child with during their pregnancy because they are able, yet unwilling, to take responsibility for their actions, put the lives of both women and the children they are bearing at risk. Most women who are abandoned by their partners during pregnancy suffer from major depression and anxiety throughout their pregnancies, which compromises their health and their babies’ and can result in miscarriages, birth abnormalities and complications, and major postpartum health issues, including physiological conditions, major emotional distress, trauma, and suicide.

The long-term psychological effects of such act of violence against women is not that different from that of nonconsensual sex, as willful abandonment constitutes a similar violation to women’s bodies, except it is endured on a daily basis for at least 9 months, and the psychological effects last a lifetime. Women whose partners choose to not be there for them during labor can experience long-term trauma, as well as post-traumatic stress disorders. Overall, women drastically impacted by this traumatic experience can suffer from long-term to permanent physiological and psychological distress which not only affects them, but also their children, their partners and future partners, and everyone else around them.

Although the law does make men partially financially responsible for the children they make women bear, a paycheck does not fix the damage, pain, suffering, and life-threatening conditions women experience as a result of their partners’ abandonment during their pregnancy. Such men are no less guilty of such act of violence as those who do a ‘hit-and-run’ and get out on bail without being held accountable for their actions, while their victims continue to live with the physical, mental, and emotional trauma for the rest of their lives.

This petition respectfully requests the New York State Senate, as well as Congress, to help stop this act of discrimination and violence against women. Women should not be forced to terminate a pregnancy, or go through a pregnancy on their own, because of men’s willful abandonment. All men should be held accountable for the pregnancies they created, and the law should impose consequences for those who abandon an expecting woman and run away from their responsibility. The responsibility for conceiving a child starts at consent, not after the child is born. Taking responsibility for a pregnancy should NOT be a choice for men just because our bodies’ reproductive capabilities are different. Please help bring this matter forward to a higher authority, so that no woman ever has to go through a pregnancy alone.

Thank you.