The Abortion Stockholm Syndrome
National Right To Life News published an article about Viv Albertine, a rocker who says she regrets her abortion but is still Pro-Choice.
Showing loyalty to the abortion that oppresses us is what I call the “Abortion Stockholm Syndrome”. I and many women I’ve met through Silent No More and Rachel’s Vineyard are familiar with it.
The Pro-Choice position is based on lies and sooner or later, women realize that abortion has damaged them in the worst ways. Some of us advance on the path to healing while others get stuck there. Women need to get out of the “Abortion Stockholm Syndrome” phase to be able to recover.
They are hurting. They swear to themselves that they will never go through this again and yet they defend abortion for other women (some even say abortion is horrible but they are thankful). I remember when I was there. Our chains are heavy but we get used to them. The abortion rights ideology can become our comfort zone. How does this happen?
Maybe they think morality and truth are relative. Maybe these women have only Pro-Choice people in their life and they are kind to them. Maybe the only contact they have with the Pro-Life movement is through people who lack empathy.
Why become Pro-Life when compassion comes only from the Pro-Choice side, or so is one’s perception? How could they heal if there is no one to affirm that they are indeed mourning a person, that it’s normal to grieve? How could they see the Truth if there is no one in their life to speak it in love?
To help women who are “stuck” on the road to recovery, we should always listen to them and meet them where they are. Provide information about books, programs, counselors who can help and put them in touch with women who are more advanced on the journey to healing. And pray for them.
Remember that we were created equal, are equally sinners and equally redeemed in Christ. The post-abortive woman has destroyed a part of herself and those who call her selfish, a murderer and try to shock her with images of aborted children are just causing more damage.
Abortion is the opposite of Love and only through genuine Love can a woman go from: “abortion is a necessary evil” to “abortion is evil and I want to help women to make better choices”. If you have Love, you can help a sister to heal and to see the bigger picture.
