A recent article in the Arizona State University Press discusses an "expose" led by an anti-choice group, Live Action Films. The group sends two teenage actors into a Tucson, Arizona Planned Parenthood. One of the teenagers poses as a 15-year-old, 10 weeks pregnant, and in a relationship with a 27-year-old man. The goal of the undercover videotaping is to document how the Planned Parenthood nurses do not "act in the girl's best interest," and contact the authorities to report, what would be a case of statutory rape in the state of Arizona. The nurses in turn, provide the actor with the information she requests, concerning the abortion procedure and how to appeal for a judge's permission wavier (bypassing the parents).
The language the author uses suggests that that young women do not have the mental capacity to make these decisions, whether knowingly or not, sets up the anti-choice argument that the government is better suited to make these decisions than the individual. The author’s support for this organization is obvious – she regurgitates the site's call for criminal investigation into the actions of the nurse - "If these flagrant violations of the law and patterns of neglect continue....” However, within 20 minutes of fact searching, it seems the nurse has done nothing but her job.
Arizona statutes (Arizona Revised Statutes, §8-201) require mandated reporters to contact local authorities only if those cases where the abuse occurred as the result of someone having care, custody, and control of the child (i.e. a parent, teacher, or physician). I think there is a real argument that a relationship between a 15-year-old and a 27-year-old is grounds for abuse and prosecution, however, I do not believe this is the issue at hand. The author of the article, along with the organizers of Live Action Films, call for criminal investigations into the actions of Planned Parenthood, all the while, misinforming the public to state law.
Moreover, the issue of providing a safe place for teenagers to get access, not only to abortions, but also to other preventive reproductive health care is not even mentioned. If young women fear prosecution and invasion of privacy, they will not utilize the services available to them. This is a necessary function of Planned Parenthood, and without it, I fear the increase in unwanted teenage pregnancies, but also the use of unsafe abortion services similar to those found pre-Roe vs. Wade. I feel this is a complicated issue and look forward to the comments of those more experienced in these situations.
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So Planned Parenthood did not abuse a pregnant teen by reporting her and her relationship to the authorities stamping her as a "criminal" when she came in to get help from them? Instead they actually *gasp* listened to HER needs and gave her the help that she wanted? She came in to get a medical procedure but could have ended up in a criminal court - but she did not, because PP put her needs and their job over the government's demands.
Good for Planned Parenthood! This candid camera video should be a commercial praising them for their integrity!
The inequity of power! The inequity of power!
Who is in the inferior position in terms of power in this hypothetical scenario?
Is it not the victim.
Even if the sex was consensual, if the female is a minor and the abuser is an adult, particularly if he is her biological father or step father, then he clearly is in a superior position in terms of both power and authority.
Somebody or somebodies has a fiduciary responsibility to be an advocate for the victim.
Your equivoactions sound reminiscent of the Catholic Church hierarchy when it was confronted with the criminal misconduct of it's pedophile priests. They're first reponse was the protection of the institution and the priests rather than the welfare of the victims.
The PP employees inaction only serves to perpetuate the abuse of the victim and protect the perpetrator.
The inequity of power! The inequity of power!
The nurse's job is not to act as an advocate for the girl, statutory rape or not. It is her job to make sure that the girl got what she came for, which is an abortion. Read Cactus Wren's scenario and it might...enlighten you.
"What's that? You're ... fifteen, you say? And your boyfriend is ... hmm, twenty-seven? Don't worry about anything, sweetie. Everything will be all right. You just sit right there, while I call your parents. They should be right down, while I'm calling the police to get a warrant out for your boyf -- wait! Stop! Come back here!"