How Some States Turn Pregnancy Loss Into Criminal Cases Against Women
www.themarshallproject.org
How a person handles a pregnancy loss — and where it occurs — can be the difference between a private medical issue and facing criminal charges.

Summary

States are increasingly criminalizing miscarriages and stillbirths, with women facing charges for failing to seek medical treatment or disposing of fetal remains improperly. The fear and suspicion following the Dobbs decision have exacerbated this trend, leading to investigations based on feelings rather than facts. Despite the lack of concrete evidence, prosecutors often suspect women of trying to end their pregnancies, resulting in criminal prosecutions.

  • sparky@lemmy.federate.cc@lemmy.federate.cc
    10·
    10 days ago

    It’s not that easy to “just move” for most people, particularly if they’re not working in a professional field where they can get relocation with a new job, or save up enough funds to move. I say this as an American who moved to Europe, by the way.

    • azimir@lemmy.ml
      2·
      9 days ago

      I didn’t say it was easy. I know how much it costs and it’s not an easy proposition. Given the alternative of living in a state where a woman denied her body autonomy I feel that it should put some serious pressure on finding a way to get out of the state when they can.

      I, too, have moved states before (on a grad student shoestring budget), and also have have opportunities to move to Europe, so we did the math on the move cost. I’ve also got adult children who have moved with little more than a packed car trunk and a low paying job at the destination.

      The US has such low wages that we don’t have “fuck you money”. That’s enough money on hand to just quit a job and/or move when things go wrong where you’re at. The more the rich depress our take home pay the harder it becomes to drop a job or fight against oppression by moving away from it. We’re in a bad spot as a nation in many aspects and having too few resources to move when society decides to own your uterus is just one of those problems.