Has everyone seen the story on the news yesterday and today about the girl who left her newborn baby in the bathroom at Bergan Mercy. This has prompted talk about the Safe Haven law and how NE is one of two states in the US to not have this law.. what does everyone think about this?
I am really torn. I think it is horrible that a mother could do this.. just drop off her baby in the dumpster or somewhere bc she didn't want the baby. Would allowing mothers to just drop off their unwanted babies at a hospital or police station cut down on cases of this? Or would this make more people not have any consequences for just having unwanted babies and getting rid of them? I think women need to know if they have a baby that they don't want to know they can give it up to adoption.. but women still need to be educated on how to NOT get pregnant in the first place if they are not in a situation to have and care for a baby. I think women who have babies and then want to get rid of them and dump them in a dumpster need to have severe consequences.. this is horrible. ugh.
what does everyone think? Does anyone know more about this or feel really strongly one way?
What is the other state that doesn't have this law?
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Alaska is the other state, but they are already in talks to enact a Safe Haven law. I think we should definitely, definitely enact it! I don't think it will increase the occurances of the "dropping" of the babies. A lot of these women (usually younger) are usually in severe denial that they are even pregnant, to the point that they deliver at home. So if they can't accept the fact they're pregnant, there's no way they'll start any adoption procedings. There is obviously some pretty extreme psycho-social issues going on with these women, so that's why I don't think these incidences would increase. For the few times it were to happen, a Safe Haven act will allow them to drop off their baby in a safe place (which is of utmost importance when it comes to these kiddos' well-being), and not face any legal consequences. Their mental state is obviously too whacked and altered to cope appropriately, so I don't think you can argue that they should know better. I think it is a much safer alternative for the babies for them to be dropped off in a designated area then by dumping them by a dumpster or in a bathroom. Whew! I obviously had a lot to say on that. ;) Great topic, Jill!
Oh, and I would also like to give my Mom props for going where most parents venture not to go. Although she has to teach abstinance (although government studies have shown this isn't effective) her class also teaches how not to get pregnant and contract STD's if these kids do decide TO HAVE SEX! (She only reports the facts...no weird "putting a condomn on a banana jazz). Which a reported 85% of all people will before they're married (after all, most of us did, didn't we??) All I'm saying is I had to take that class and I was scared to death to have sex. I was almost twenty, which seems so young now! But unfortunately, either some kids aren't recieving this information, or worse yet, are getting it and choosing to do nothing to protect themselves!
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