Abortion has been one of the most controversial issues in the US. It has been one of the agenda in campaign policies with different political formations having different views. I live in Virginia, USA. Recently, I came to realize of the implementation of the Virginia Reproductive Health Protection Act. The law was an adjustment to the abortion restrictions that have always been there. Before then, those seeking abortion were required to undergo an ultrasound 24 hours before engaging in the act. The law follows the pressure to protect abortion rights, a liberal idea. The law also eliminates the requirement that only hospitals can perform 5 abortions every month. While the previous law permitted only physicians to conduct abortions within the first trimester of pregnancy, the new law allows.
The Republicans who were opposed to the bill argued that it is a mistake and denies women the opportunity to decide about their lives. The bill neither clarifies the consequences nor the implications of ending life. Generally, Abortion is legal in the state of Virginia. According to a research by the Pew Research center, more than 54% of adults approve the legality of abortion laws. The recent passing of the bill by the democrats only acted to reduce restriction and increase the legality.
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Though I disagree with the abortion laws, there is the necessity of sharing it with clients. The law grants Americans that right to access of such health information. In the daily operations of the job, the client should be posed with the mandate of choosing between the available medical options at the most reasonable time ( Begun et al., 2017) . A client may be interested in knowing about the law so that they can make the right consent whether to engage in the activity. It is prudent to provide a client with all the information regarding abortion.
Abortion is a disgrace to the society. Religiously, life starts at the inception of the fetus. Many religious communities agree that God is the giver of life; it is only God who can take the life away. Taking the decision to take the life of the fetus is not only a disgrace to God but also undermines the natural cycle of life. Religious beliefs attribute the fetus should be given the right life. Terminating the fetus at any stage implies that an individual is not ready to give chance to another life. Destruction of the fetus constitutes taking away human life.
Abortion Undermines human morality. There are many custodians of morality and God in the main one. Many traditional communities also have their norms as to control the principles of morality. Carrying out abortion makes one guilty of committing an immoral behavior (Charles, 2004). As a result, abortion is a source of depression and individuals may commit suicide. Women who undergo abortion have a higher likelihood of having mental health problems. Healthcare workers are encouraged to warn women against opting for abortion. The complications associated with the process can go as far as acquiring cancerous conditions. Women who engage in abortion are at high risk of cancer.
Abortion is a threat the fertility of the woman. If not done correctly, it may have a long-term impact on the health of women. It could also be argued that it is an alternative to facing responsibility. Men who do not want to take responsibility may use abortion as the strategy for sidestepping a woman. Some women are victims of rape and end up in committing abortion as pregnancy no longer becomes an issue. Some women are victims of abusive relationship. They are never getting justice but resort to abortion.
I have the ethical responsibility of serving my clients in the right manner. There is the need to inform the clients about the truth as a social worker. It becomes challenging when I feel like discouraging an individual seeking abortion services yet I am aware of the likely complications. I find it difficult to overcome my ethical considerations when making a decision. I end up ethical dilemma trying to stick to my professional codes while feeling like discoursing women seeking abortion. Charles (2004) affirms the need to use critical thinking in dealing with ethical issues. The author outlines values and perceptions in defining “what is good and desirable.” Instead following my aspirations, I tend to weigh on the needs of my clients. Charles (2004, pg. 19) describes a situation when a pregnant students wants to marry the farther. It is an indication of what social workers have to through while trying to make the best decisions for their clients.
Facing the high number of youths opting for abortion and comparing to the high number of infertility due to abortion is traumatizing. Greil et al. (2011) elaborates on the distress those results from treating infertility as to be more than the infertility itself. In solving my problem, I resort to Charles (2004, p. 20) that social workers should attend and advocate for the rights of everybody. As a social worker, I have the obligation to respond to the needs of both who support abortion and those who do not support abortion. McDonald and Svensson (2010) explain, through ethical relativism, that ethics varies from one community to another. As a social worker, I am entitled to my own ethical norms based on my community; I believe that I should respect the ethical standards to which other people abide. As such, I am loyal to all my clients.
References
Begun, S., Kattari, S. K., McKay, K., Ramseyer Winter, V., & O’Neill, E. (2017). Exploring US social work students’ sexual attitudes and abortion viewpoints. The Journal of Sex Research , 54 (6), 752-763.
Charles, H. (2004). Zastrow understanding human behavior and social environment.
Greil, A. L., McQuillan, J., Lowry, M., & Shreffler, K. M. (2011). Infertility treatment and fertility-specific distress: A longitudinal analysis of a population-based sample of US women. Social science & medicine , 73 (1), 87-94.
McDonald, G., & Svensson, G. (2010). Ethical relativism vs absolutism: research implications. European Business Review .
