Ohio Lawmaker Discusses Her Rape, Abortion on House Floor

An Ohio representative recently revealed her experience with rape and abortion during a House debate on the "heartbeat bill," which would make abortion in the state illegal after a fetal heartbeat is detected.

During the debate over the bill this week, Democratic Representative Teresa Fedor stood up and revealed, for the first time publically, that she had been a victim of rape while serving in the U.S. military and had an abortion following the attack.

"You don't respect my reason, my rape, my abortion, and I guarantee you there are other women who should stand up with me and be courageous enough to speak," she said. "What you're doing is so fundamentally inhuman, unconstitutional, and I've sat here too long."

"I dare any one of you to judge me, because there's only one judge I'm going to face […]," Fedor continued. "I dare you to walk in my shoes […] This debate is purely political. I understand your story, but you don't understand mine. I'm grateful for that freedom. It is a personal decision, and how dare government get into my business."

The heartbeat bill passed the state's House this week with a 55-40 vote along party lines.

As the Toledo Blade reports, House Bill 69 would effectively ban abortion as soon as a fetal heartbeat is detected. The bill gives exceptions to cases of the mother's life being in in danger, but it does not give exceptions to rape or incest.

Those who support the bill argue that the purpose of the legislation is to save as many unborn lives as possible.

 "We have the ability to save many lives," Rep. Christina Hagan, a Republican and co-sponsor of the bill, said during this week's House debate, as reported by The Columbus Dispatch. "An unborn child has a beating heart. Should we allow that heart to be stopped?" she questioned.