Dignitas Infinita:
Abortion & Violence Against Women
Dignitas Infinita ("Infinite Dignity") highlights several relevant grave violations of human dignity. This reflection focuses on violence against women and abortion.
In Dignitas Infinita, we read, “Violence against women is a global scandal that is gaining increasing recognition.” It goes on to quote Pope Francis, “doubly poor are those women who endure situations of exclusion, mistreatment, and violence, since they are frequently less able to defend their rights.” These realities are why the Catholic Church labors for laws that protect women from violence and ensure freedom from discrimination.
In our culture, violence against women often manifests in pressure to terminate a pregnancy. Dignitas Infinita continues, “Among the forms of violence carried out on women, how can we not mention coercive abortions, which affect both mother and child, often to satisfy the selfishness of males?” Research tells us that the majority of abortions are the consequence of a male partner putting perceived personal well-being into pressuring women to get an abortion and an economy that values output over human dignity. Creating a culture of life means confronting male responsibility and economic systems that value money over mothers and families, treating humans as means to a financial end.
The Catholic Church across the United States takes a both/and approach to outlawing violent threats against women and establishing public policy that recognizes the significant resources needed to support mothers and children.
Current Legislation:
Seeking to recognize the needs of mothers and children, the Catholic Conference of Ohio:
- Successfully advocated for policies in the state operating budget to support families, including:
- Eliminating sales tax on baby products.
- Extending cash assistance for the full duration of a pregnancy.
- Investing in the Healthy Beginnings at Home program to stabilize housing for vulnerable pregnant women.
- Testified in support of the following bills:
- HB 34 (signed into law) to excuse breast feeding mothers from jury duty.
- HB 7 (passed by the House, in Senate Committee) to enact the Strong Foundations Act, which would invest in a broad array of supports for pregnant and parenting women. The Strong Foundations Act would help provide housing for pregnant women at risk of losing their home, support the Help Me Grow program to assist new moms transition to parenthood, and fund other comprehensive maternal and infant vitality programs.
- SB 159 (in Senate Committee), which would authorize a tax credit for donations made to pregnancy resource centers.
- Collaborates with the Catholic dioceses of Ohio in educating on the dignity of life in the womb, the violence of abortion, ongoing supports for women, and promotion of Walking with Moms in Need.
Reflection:
Jesus consistently upheld the dignity of women by extending His mercy and love, even when it was counter-cultural to do so. Picture Mary Magdalene, the woman at the well, and the woman caught in adultery and the profound transformations they experienced in encountering the Lord Jesus Christ. Do we look upon the women enslaved by violent acts with God’s eyes and meet them with compassion or turn away with indifference?