Legalizing Rape

Mark Crutcher has an interesting argument over at his blog:

 What I’m wondering about is this.  If the motivation for legalized abortion really is to save the lives of women, why aren’t the people who make that argument also calling for the repeal of laws against rape?  After all, it is not uncommon for a woman to be killed by a rapist so she can’t identify him to the authorities.  Legalizing rape would save those women by taking away the rapists’ motivation for killing them. 

Legalization could also result in the establishment of rape clinics where rapists could take their victims instead of dragging them into dangerous back-allies.  These facilities could offer clean rooms, condom machines, emergency contraception and perhaps even doctors on staff in case the rapist injures his victim.  We could also issue licenses to rapists requiring them to undergo monthly testing for AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. 

Remember, the pro-choice argument is that women are going to have abortions regardless of what the law says, and that keeping abortion legal will make sure they occur in a clean and safe environment.  Well, those dynamics also apply to rape.  We know that keeping rape illegal has not stopped women from being raped, so why not try to create a more “enlightened” nation where rape is safe, legal and rare?

And by the way, as ridiculous as this suggestion is, if our goal is saving women’s lives, it makes as much sense as legalized abortion.

Indeed, but such is the absurdity of what the pro-abortion movement argues.