When Women Refuse Consent

Let’s talk about consent for a moment.  Consent is this important concept that derives from the basic principle of autonomy.  The relationship is thus:

1. I have the right and duty to exercise my free will (autonomy).
2. The existence and exercise of said free will means that I am an actor and not an object.  I acted; I am not acted upon.
3. Sometimes, I am acted upon – for example, a medical procedure.  Because I am an actor, I must give permission for this “acting upon.”  This permission is called consent.
4. I have a right, under ordinary circumstances, to know/be told what will be done to me, what the possible consequences are, and what my other options are.  
5. If I refuse to give this permission, I should not be acted upon.

Outside of a medical context, these steps are rarely stated explicitly, but they underlie how we live on a day to day basis.  If I get into the car and my friend is behind the wheel, I am consenting to being driven – and implicit is the agreement that she will take me where I want to go and in a generally safe manner.  If she starts driving like a maniac and goes north when I want to go south, I have a sense of betrayal.

In fact, in many cases, acting upon someone without consent is a crime.  Kidnapping in the example above; assault, battery, and rape in other examples.

In a medical context, I have the right to agree to a procedure or refuse it.  If a medical professional describes his method, I should know that unless my health and safety demand it, he will stick to that method.   Sometimes, before procedures, a patient signs a consent form, noting that there may be pictures taken for educational purposes or medical students observing the procedure.  If I refuse my consent, I should be assured that these things will not happen.

If I am asked if any tissue removed from my body can be used for research and I say no, my tissue should not be given or sold to anyone to use for research.  Period.

If a major hospital were accused of routinely ignoring patient consent, in such a way that it brought profit to the hospital, it would be a Big Deal.  Even if said hospital did wonderful medical work, it would be a Big Deal.  At the very least, we would want to hear from the hospital that this behavior was not acceptable and that they were investigating these allegations.  If they refused or if the accusations were credible enough, we would demand an outside investigation.

Why should we expect anything less with regard to Planned Parenthood?

An organization that purports to be pro-woman, that has ties to feminists who (rightly) cry out, “No means no!” is being accused of ignoring women’s “No”s.  And the same people who call for every accusation of ignored sexual consent to be investigated are turning a blind eye on an organization that routinely ignores women’s lack of consent.

Planned Parenthood is accused of using women’s bodies in ways that women refuse.  How can you be pro-woman and not take that seriously?



On a Related Note:  Abortion is a very sensitive, personal issue to many people, and pro-lifers were well-chastised by fellow pro-lifer Simcha Fisher about the need to offer healing as well as rhetoric.  Our message to everyone needs to be a message of love.  Abortion hurts, but healing is possible and there are other options.