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29 / 08 / 2012 - FPA abortion survey - more Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics
An article in today's Belfast Telegraph claims Jim Wells is "..out of step with public opinion"and "..out of line with the majority of people". Mr Wells had said that aborting an unborn child conceived through rape was punishing the child for the crime.
The Belfast Telegraph claims that just one in five people in Northern Ireland believe it is wrong to killing an unborn child conceived through rape.
The Telegraph then makes another exaggerated claim that the "vast majority" agree that women who become pregnant because of sexual assault are entitled to abortion.
They make these wild assertions based on the results of a survey commissioned by the pro-abortion FPA (Family Planning Association) during February and March (before Jim Wells made his statement)
The FPA survey asked the question - should abortion be legal when the pregnancy is the result of rape/incest?
The results were -
Yes: 59%
No: 18%
Don't know: 21%
However, a simple analysis of their results reveals why their survey CANNOT and MUST NOT be taken seriously.
It is important to remember that their results are based only on the answers of those people surveyed. The total number of people surveyed was 1,376
59% of 1376 = 812
So 812 people believe abortion should be legal in cases of rape, but the Belfast Telegraph reports that as the "vast majority" in Northern Ireland.
The Belfast Telegraph then goes on to say that "an anonymous survey of MLAs found strong support for terminating a pregnancy in cases of rape , with 66% of politicians agreeing it was grounds for legal abortion."
But once again, further investigation reveals this is very deceptive reporting. The Director of FPA, Audrey Simpson states in the Telegraph that 66% "of respondents" believe rape should be grounds for abortion. But in tonight's UTV news report on the survey, it was revealed that only 36 MLAs responded
66% of 36 = 24
So 24 Assembly Members (out of a total of 108) believe abortion should be legal in cases of rape, but the Belfast Telegraph reports this as "strong support".
A classic example of lies, damn lies and statistics!
Jim Wells - who received 5,200 first preference votes in the last Assembly Election - holds the view that unborn children - even when conceived through rape - have the right to life.
An FPA survey finds that only 812 people and 24 MLAs say an innocent unborn child- conceived through rape - does not have the right to life.
Yet both the FPA and the Belfast Telegraph claim Jim Wells is "out of touch" with political and public opinion!!!
The fact that unborn children are still protected by law here is proof that the majority of people in Northern Ireland are opposed to abortion. Protecting unborn children from abortion is one of the main issues that has united the communities and politicians in Northern Ireland over the past 40 years. Precious Life presented 120,000 petition signatures to the Assembly; signatures from people all across Northern Ireland stating their total opposition to abortion and calling for unborn children to remain protected in Northern Ireland. The numbers of people attending the Annual Rally for Life continues to grow every year. The most recent Rally in Belfast in July brought together 7000 people expressing their total opposition to abortion.
It must also be noted that when the FPA asked the same question in a survey in 2008 the results found that 62% of their respondents had said Yes. In this most recent survey the figure is 59%. So even the FPA's own surveys have shown a drop in the percentage figure - something which the FPA have conveniently chose to ignore.
Precious Life has been answering peoples questions about abortion on the streets of Northern Ireland for the past 15 years during our educational "Street Outreach" programme. We've found that when people are given all the facts about abortion in cases of rape, they agree that it is never right to take the life of the innocent unborn child.
Rape is an horrific act of violence against women. It rightly evokes feelings of revulsion, but this can lead to illogical and unfounded judgments with regard to pregnancy as a result of rape. It must always be remembered that in every pregnancy there are two people - the mother and the child. The child in the womb is still a child no matter how he or she is conceived.
The killing of an unborn child - even if conceived through rape or incest - is always wrong. Abortion cannot ‘undo’ a rape - it only kills the child.
The only major study of pregnant rape victims, conducted by Dr. Sandra Mahkorn, revealed that 75 - 85% chose against abortion. This evidence alone should cause people to pause and reflect on the presumption that abortion is wanted or even best for sexual assault victims.
It is contemptible how pro-abortion campaigners exploit the trauma suffered by rape victims; and exploit the natural sympathy that people have for rape victims - to further their own agenda of legalising abortion-on-demand.
When discussing the issue of pregnancy though rape, the focus should be on the helping the woman; and on harsher sentences for the rapist - not imposing the death penalty on an innocent child.
Rape victims need love, compassion, and long term support - not the ‘quick-fix’ solution of abortion. Precious Life will continue actively campaigning to protect both mothers and babies from abortion, and to help and support mothers in crisis pregnancies regardless of the circumstances.
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The Belfast Telegraph claims that just one in five people in Northern Ireland believe it is wrong to killing an unborn child conceived through rape.
The Telegraph then makes another exaggerated claim that the "vast majority" agree that women who become pregnant because of sexual assault are entitled to abortion.
They make these wild assertions based on the results of a survey commissioned by the pro-abortion FPA (Family Planning Association) during February and March (before Jim Wells made his statement)
The FPA survey asked the question - should abortion be legal when the pregnancy is the result of rape/incest?
The results were -
Yes: 59%
No: 18%
Don't know: 21%
However, a simple analysis of their results reveals why their survey CANNOT and MUST NOT be taken seriously.
It is important to remember that their results are based only on the answers of those people surveyed. The total number of people surveyed was 1,376
59% of 1376 = 812
So 812 people believe abortion should be legal in cases of rape, but the Belfast Telegraph reports that as the "vast majority" in Northern Ireland.
The Belfast Telegraph then goes on to say that "an anonymous survey of MLAs found strong support for terminating a pregnancy in cases of rape , with 66% of politicians agreeing it was grounds for legal abortion."
But once again, further investigation reveals this is very deceptive reporting. The Director of FPA, Audrey Simpson states in the Telegraph that 66% "of respondents" believe rape should be grounds for abortion. But in tonight's UTV news report on the survey, it was revealed that only 36 MLAs responded
66% of 36 = 24
So 24 Assembly Members (out of a total of 108) believe abortion should be legal in cases of rape, but the Belfast Telegraph reports this as "strong support".
A classic example of lies, damn lies and statistics!
Jim Wells - who received 5,200 first preference votes in the last Assembly Election - holds the view that unborn children - even when conceived through rape - have the right to life.
An FPA survey finds that only 812 people and 24 MLAs say an innocent unborn child- conceived through rape - does not have the right to life.
Yet both the FPA and the Belfast Telegraph claim Jim Wells is "out of touch" with political and public opinion!!!
The fact that unborn children are still protected by law here is proof that the majority of people in Northern Ireland are opposed to abortion. Protecting unborn children from abortion is one of the main issues that has united the communities and politicians in Northern Ireland over the past 40 years. Precious Life presented 120,000 petition signatures to the Assembly; signatures from people all across Northern Ireland stating their total opposition to abortion and calling for unborn children to remain protected in Northern Ireland. The numbers of people attending the Annual Rally for Life continues to grow every year. The most recent Rally in Belfast in July brought together 7000 people expressing their total opposition to abortion.
It must also be noted that when the FPA asked the same question in a survey in 2008 the results found that 62% of their respondents had said Yes. In this most recent survey the figure is 59%. So even the FPA's own surveys have shown a drop in the percentage figure - something which the FPA have conveniently chose to ignore.
Precious Life has been answering peoples questions about abortion on the streets of Northern Ireland for the past 15 years during our educational "Street Outreach" programme. We've found that when people are given all the facts about abortion in cases of rape, they agree that it is never right to take the life of the innocent unborn child.
Rape is an horrific act of violence against women. It rightly evokes feelings of revulsion, but this can lead to illogical and unfounded judgments with regard to pregnancy as a result of rape. It must always be remembered that in every pregnancy there are two people - the mother and the child. The child in the womb is still a child no matter how he or she is conceived.
The killing of an unborn child - even if conceived through rape or incest - is always wrong. Abortion cannot ‘undo’ a rape - it only kills the child.
The only major study of pregnant rape victims, conducted by Dr. Sandra Mahkorn, revealed that 75 - 85% chose against abortion. This evidence alone should cause people to pause and reflect on the presumption that abortion is wanted or even best for sexual assault victims.
It is contemptible how pro-abortion campaigners exploit the trauma suffered by rape victims; and exploit the natural sympathy that people have for rape victims - to further their own agenda of legalising abortion-on-demand.
When discussing the issue of pregnancy though rape, the focus should be on the helping the woman; and on harsher sentences for the rapist - not imposing the death penalty on an innocent child.
Rape victims need love, compassion, and long term support - not the ‘quick-fix’ solution of abortion. Precious Life will continue actively campaigning to protect both mothers and babies from abortion, and to help and support mothers in crisis pregnancies regardless of the circumstances.