{"id":184465,"date":"2018-06-22T12:19:25","date_gmt":"2018-06-22T17:19:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=184465"},"modified":"2022-07-17T21:05:45","modified_gmt":"2022-07-18T02:05:45","slug":"rape-survivors-fight-exceptions-heartbeat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/rape-survivors-fight-exceptions-heartbeat\/","title":{"rendered":"Rape survivors and persons conceived in rape fight ‘exceptions’ in Iowa’s heartbeat law"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Editor’s Note:\u00a0Live Action works to maintain the highest standards of journalistic integrity. Live Action has looked into key elements of Ms. Christie\u2019s testimony and personal story and has found them to be credible. This post has been edited since its original publication.<\/em><\/p>\n

Save the 1<\/a>, a pro-life organization dedicated to ending abortion — including the abortion<\/a> of preborn children conceived in rape or incest, or those diagnosed with a fetal abnormality — is fighting to remove the “exceptions” rule added to Iowa’s new heartbeat law. They argue that the law, which outlaws abortion once a heartbeat is detected, should protect all preborn children regardless of the circumstances of their conception.<\/p>\n

In February, the heartbeat bill without exceptions passed in the Iowa Senate<\/a>, but the final bill included the exceptions in order to appease some House Republicans who refused to support the law without them.<\/p>\n

“It’s demoralizing. It’s dehumanizing,” international speaker, attorney, and Save the 1 founder Rebecca Kiessling told Live Action News. “Our hearts beat too.”\u00a0Kiessling was conceived through rape and has advocated against rape exceptions in other state laws.<\/p>\n

\"Conceived

Rebecca Kiessling, Pro-Life Speaker<\/p><\/div>\n

“I spoke and people said that it was very powerful and that it was very meaningful,” rape survivor Jennifer Christie told Live Action News. “When we heard there were exceptions, I felt completely betrayed. It was really for show that they brought me in. They turned around after telling me my story is so uplifting and the next thing I know they are willing to sacrifice my son. It was very difficult for me to wrap my head around something like that.”<\/p>\n

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