Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., stepped in to correct Republican legislators. She argued that Texas' new and highly restrictive abortion law does not force women who have been subject to rape to continue their pregnancies past term. This is because they would be aware they were pregnant before the six-week cutoff.
This argument ignores a fundamental misunderstanding about female anatomy and sexual assault trauma. Ocasio Cortez, as she has done many times before, addressed the ignorance of her peers head on.
Ocasio Cortez stated that legislators are trying to legislate reproductive system they don't know about in a congressional hearing on the new law.
She noted that a person is six weeks pregnant if their period arrives two weeks early. A woman can be late or miss their period for many reasons. One reason is the stress of having been sexually assaulted.
Ocasio Cortez stated that you don't always know what happened after being raped. This is what I see as a survivor. It can take years to understand what really happened because you are still in shock.
She said that her period might be irregular due to her weight and that it was impossible for women to find out if they are pregnant within six weeks.
You look at me funny, Im two weeks late for my period. She said, "You expect me to be aware that I am pregnant?" Or, the stress from a sexual assault that leaves you two weeks late for your period.
Ocasio Cortez also stated that rapes are almost always committed by someone the victim is familiar with, even though some legislators might lead you to believe otherwise.
This myth that there is a person waiting on the street to sexually assault you will only benefit the abusers in authority. She said this, looking around the room. It's your friend. It's your boyfriend. It is a boss. It is a legislator.
Continue the story
You can watch the exchange here
Need assistance? Need help? Visit the National Sexual Assault Hotline at RAINN or the National Sexual Violence Resource Centers website.
This article was originally published on HuffPost. It has since been updated.
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