How does public opinion differ in countries with different abortion laws?

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How does Public Opinion Differ in Countries with Different Abortion Laws?
Abortion is a surgical or medical process that results in the termination of pregnancy. The issue of abortion is an exceedingly controversial problem that has existed for ages and particularly so since its legalization in the United States in 1973. Although its legalization in various countries around the world base on a set of reasons such as health risk for mothers, rape, and incest among others, the abortion rights fights persist. In particular, proponents and supporters of the act struggle tirelessly to acquire a stable ground on legislatures, public opinions, as well as the courts. Behind these fights are different perspectives on when human life is said to start, the rights women have concerning their individual bodies and the government’s intrusion into other people’s lives. Based on the different abortion laws governing different nations around the globe, the opinion of the public tend to differ with some supporting whereas others oppose and even seek legal measures to abolish abortion rights.
Different researchers have identified the existence of conflicting opinions by the society based on varying pregnancy termination policies endorsed by various states. In fact, a majority of studies indicate that abortion laws spark conflicting views among different people from differing communities with some advocating for the new legislation and others opposing it considerably.

The available research, nevertheless, fails to provide a clear stand on which party including the pregnant women, fetuses, the public, or government wins in this entire debate. It is particularly unclear since most states allow special qualification for procuring an abortion including health and life threat and rape, thus, procuring it for other reasons is unlawful. Therefore, the woman does not have complete rights to their bodies. Also, some parts favor the unborn child whereas others disfavor them. Additionally, while some aspects of the proposed laws are favorable to some members of the public, others are not and therefore, it is ultimately unclear which one of these groups benefits from these policies. This paper aims at identifying ways in which people’s outlook on pregnancy termination policies adopted in various countries differs.
Literature Review
The attitudes associated with the termination of pregnancy vary among various individuals from different nations. While some community members advocate for the suggested abortion laws, others sturdily oppose them with some taking extreme measures such as vandalizing health clinics that offer the services. Abortion is, hence a very delicate matter, especially in the contemporary world where the advancement in technologies facilitates the spread of particular movement that supports or opposes these laws. While attempting to evaluate the influence political discussions have on communities regarding the abortion issue, Kenny found a positive correlation between political impact and people’s preference on certain matters (571). Kenny discovered that societies have a high impact on the attitudes people have concerning abortion (571). Additionally, the incidences of political discussion about the issue and the discussant’s political acquaintance viewpoint play a significant role. In fact, Kenny not only determined the effect politics has in people’s opinion concerning the matter but also that in impacts their viewpoint over time (572). Following Kenny’s findings, it can be argued that indeed a society’s opinion on the matter can vary based on such influences as a country’s politics and even change over time.
Rodriguez et al. discoveries concur with Kenny’s in that people’s opinion of particular issues vary over time. For instance, Rodriguez et al. indicated a significant change in public opinion concerning the newly passed abortion laws in Mexico where while only 38 percent supported the reforms several weeks to the poll in 2007, the number rose to 73 percent by 2009 (192). Additionally, there were varied opinions among different regions in Mexico with the southern states characterized by more religious, poor and less educated people showing a more conservative approach to abortion and women’s roles (Rodriguez et al. 192). On the other hand, individuals from the northern parts of Mexico with more education, less religious and stable socioeconomic statuses supported the reforms. These discoveries support that indeed different states and regions exhibit deferring perspectives on pregnancy termination laws.
Cessation of gestation means an individual put to end the life of another human prematurely which is the basis for many conflicts in points of views among various people. Anastaplo, while trying to reflect on death, life and government’s intervention, shows how different outlooks exist concerning the sacredness of human life as evidenced by various actions people take while responding to human life termination (10). Anastaplo suggests numerous examples of differing views concerning life and death including Jihad as practiced by Muslim community who consider mass suicide as holy or martyrdom (5). Additionally, Anastaplo points out that while most people condemn suicide, a majority would support it in instances such as for terminally ill patients in excruciating pain (10). These suggestions agree with this work’s hypothesis that life ending vary depend on people as well as the regions they originate. For instance, while mass suicide deemed holy by some Muslim communities around the world is acceptable to these individuals, countries and people belonging to other religious beliefs oppose these acts and perceive them as murder.
Ferree, while identifying the differences visible in the rights accorded to women concerning abortion, indicate that the United States offer females the right to abort during the first trimester (312). Additionally, the country has limited control over a woman’s decision to eliminate a fetus once the pregnancy goes beyond the first trimester. In contrast, Germany’s proposed 1974 legislative that aimed at legalizing pregnancy ending received massive opposition and the states were suggested as having a legal obligation to protecting unborn children (Ferree 312). Nevertheless, the country currently allows the act if perpetrated within the first trimester and if the mother life or health is at risk. Also, Ferree indicates an important point in which German provides support for single mothers, male breadwinners, children and families, a feature that may explain the nation’s firm stand against abortion (314). Conversely, the United States releases itself from any duties that involve helping poor mothers or child upkeep suggesting women find their individual way to acquire employment like their male counterparts (Ferree 314). The contrast in both countries supports the existence of varied views regarding abortion issues.
Kane’s study also supports the diversity of viewpoints witnessed in various regions around the world. For example, Kane alleges the places such as El Salvador, Chile and Nicaragua strictly prohibit the procurement of an abortion regardless of any situation (361). However, regions like Latin America, Guyana, and Cuba permits the deed in scenarios where the mother’s health is threatened, rape, or incest (Kane 361). Kane points out that religion is a primary influencer of abortion rights in these countries, especially the Catholic Church believed to have established ties with the government (369). The Catholic strongly opposes premature ending of pregnancy and contraceptives among other reproductive factors that women continue to fight to gain rights (Kane 369; Wetstein and Albritton 105). Wetstein and Albritton add that most people tend to support abortion laws that are less restraining and these regions provide greater access to abortion services to female (104). Also, Wetstein and Albritton found increased levels of performance of abortion in countries with high public support for the act (104). Abortion advocacy remains compelling in spite of influences from factors such as religion and socioeconomic. These different outlooks agree with the extensive nature of abortion spread throughout countries internationally as well as social impacts on related policies.
Wilson, García, Olavarrieta, Hernández, Rodríguez, Smith, and Burks’ study supports that of Rodriguez et al. which agrees that political alignment contributed to Mexicans’ support or opposition to the newly suggested 2007 abortion laws (179). Additionally, Wilson et al. indicate that Mexicans with little education and poor were more supportive of the political party opposing abortion rights (179). In contrast, those with better education level and economically stable were more liberal and accepting of the suggested policies (179). Similar to cases in Guyana and Cuba, policies regulating cessation of pregnancy are very restrictive in the Caribbean. Yam Eileen et al. points out that the abortion laws in the country, Caribbean, and Latin America may not necessarily reflect people’s perspectives on the issue (225). In a survey conducted in Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and Argentina, Yam et al. found that a majority of individuals advocating for abortion rights suggested more situations that would necessitate abortion procurement than the ones currently supported by the law (438). And similar to most other states, these countries permitted the act in the circumstances presenting a health or life threat to the mother or in cases of rape.
Research Methods
Research Design
The issue of abortion has been researched extensively for many years with newer information and developments cropping up with every passing year. Therefore, there are diverse materials available on previous studies performed by individuals, groups, and large organizations. Secondary resources were used for this study which included the use of peer-reviewed journals on abortion studies conducted by credible authors. The selection of these journals depended on the extensiveness of the research about the topic and hypothesis proposed for this study. More precisely, the used materials had to include thoroughly researched information concerning the issue as well as people’s opinion regarding the same. Additionally, since this work aimed at discovering diverse views from several countries, selection of study articles also involved using ones that provided ideas from the perspectives of many countries. Nations included in this study include the United States, Germany, Latn America, El Salvador, Chile, Cuba, Guyana, and Mexico. The source for these journals was largely from online databases including Jstor and university libraries.
Reasons for Selected Methodology
Secondary and reliable sources with vast information about pregnancy termination are readily available. Additionally, the various references provide a significant amount of information with varied points of views, analogies, and discussions concerning the topic, thus allowing one to compare data and use the most relevant that match one’s needs. Also, there would have been difficulties obtaining primary data from countries of interest that are far from where I live. Therefore, the use of secondary data seemed appropriate for this research.
Works Cited
Anastaplo, George. “Roe V. Wade (1973) and the Law of Abortion.” Reflections on Life, Death
and the Constitution, University Press of Kentucky, 2009, pp.122-128.
Ferree, Myra M. “Resonance and Radicalism: Feminist Framing in the Abortion Debates of the
United States and Germany.” American Journal of Sociology, vol.109, No.2 (September 2003); pp.304-344.
Kane, Gillian. “Abortion Law Reform in Latin America: Lessons for Advocacy.” Gender and
Development, vol.16, no.2, 2008, pp.361-375.
Kenny, Christopher B. “Social Influence and Opinion on Abortion.” Social Science Quarterly,
vol.74, no.3, 1993, pp.560-574
Rodriquez, Jorge., et al. “Public Opinion on Abortion in Eight Mexican States Amid
opposition to Legalization.” Studies in Family Planning, vol.42, no.3, 2011, pp.191-198.
Wetstein, Matthew, and Albritton, Robert. “Effects of Public on Abortion Policies and Use
in the Ameican States.” Pubius, vol.25, no.4, 1995, pp.91-105.
Wilson, Kate S. et al. “Public Opinion on Abortion in Mexico City after the Landmark Reform.”
Studies in Family planning, vol. 42, no.3, 2011, pp.175-182.
Yam, Eileen A. et al. “Abortion Opinion Research in Latin America and the Carribbean: A
Review of the Literature.” Studies in Family Planning, vol. 37, no.4, 2006, pp.225-240.