Oppose House Bill No. 1364.

I'm writing you today about House Bill No. 1364 which proposes a total ban on abortion in the Commonwealth unless a mother's life is at risk. This is an absolutely horrible idea. In 2021 -- a year I've picked because I have data for it -- Virginia CPS saw 52,263 allegations of child abuse. Of those, 3,047 were "founded" meaning that CPS determined that there was a "preponderance of evidence" that the alleged abuse occurred. Of those 3,047, 11% -- about 335 cases -- involved abuse of a sexual nature. 335 sexually abused Virginia children. Now, not all kids who are sexually abused are girls but if even half of them are (and it's almost certainly a lot more than half) that's 167 sexually abused kids. 167 potential pregnancies as a result of sexual assault by a family member. 167 reasons why any abortion ban must -- absolutely must -- contain exceptions for rape and incest. What middle school student deserves to carry her rapist's baby to term? What child, already traumatized by a sexual assault from a family member, deserves to endure the physical hardship of pregnancy under the leering stare of her assailant? Is this really the most pressing problem we have to solve in our Commonwealth? Is this really who we are? A state of puritanical, vindictive pearl-clutchers so obsessed with sexual purity that we'd condemn children to a constant reminder of one of the most horrific experiences in their young lives? This bill is monstrous and so are the people who would support it. I urge you to act in the interests of decency, compassion, and kindness. I ask you to oppose House Bill No. 1364.