Morning-After Pill Goes Over the Counter

[Apex]

I'm thinking of all the parents who would not be supportive, including the ones who caused the girl to become pregnant in the first place. If you were raped by your legal guardian, how would it feel to be required to get his permission to terminate a pregnancy?

Also, in a depressing number of cases, the mothers of abused girls decide they are lying about the abuse.

Edit: and in a case I just read about, it was the mother who got the girl pregnant because she was unable to adopt more kids or have them herself and she wanted another baby.

Do you really think those are fair or even realistic examples? Every single one of those would involve the authorities, drastically changing the dynamics of the situation.

 

[Alceste]

Do you really think those are fair or even realistic examples? Every single one of those would involve the authorities, drastically changing the dynamics of the situation.

They're real life examples. Factual examples. And authorities as a rule are never involved until long after the damage is done. I used to read social services files as part of my job. Abuse is very common and rarely reported.

 

[Apex]

They're real life examples. Factual examples. And authorities as a rule are never involved until long after the damage is done. I used to read social services files as part of my job. Abuse is very common and rarely reported.

So you will not admit that these are extreme examples with drastically differing dynamics and would represent an extreme minority of cases?

 

[MysticSang'ha]

So you will not admit that these are extreme examples with drastically differing dynamics and would represent an extreme minority of cases?

Not necessarily. Alceste is right. Abuse is rarely reported. I've known a few women in my life where this happened, and authorities were never involved. Out of the women I've known who got pregnant at a very young age (under 14), it was rarely by another young boy, but by an older man.

No doubt if they could have used the morning after pill, they would have given their situation. It's horribly tragic. If there is anything we can do to help protect these young girls if law enforcement and the justice system are unable to reach all of them, I think it's the right thing to do.

 

[dawny0826]

I'm thinking of all the parents who would not be supportive, including the ones who caused the girl to become pregnant in the first place. If you were raped by your legal guardian, how would it feel to be required to get his permission to terminate a pregnancy?

Also, in a depressing number of cases, the mothers of abused girls decide they are lying about the abuse.

Edit: and in a case I just read about, it was the mother who got the girl pregnant because she was unable to adopt more kids or have them herself and she wanted another baby.

In these cases, Alceste, other entities need to get involved - law enforcement, department of social or human services and CPS, etc.

There are people that NEED to be made aware of the situation and the girl, who IS NOT YET an adult should not be going at this alone. Legally, in the US, an adult is responsible for her care. If those responsible have abused her, there is accountability. Someone has to step up and blow the whistle.

If she is mature enough to make a decision to purchase over the counter emergency contraception - she's mature enough to go to authorities and report the situation, so that the law can begin advocating on her behalf.

Having access to emergency contraception as a teen doesn't eliminate the negate circumstances at home. The abuse has to be addressed head on. If knows to purchase a pill...she knows to go to a guidance counselor at school, a teacher or someone else.

 

[Alceste]

So you will not admit that these are extreme examples with drastically differing dynamics and would represent an extreme minority of cases?

Girls (and boys) being sexually abused by their legal guardians is not at all an extreme example. I know several survivors of that type of abuse personally. As do you, I'm sure, although maybe they have not shared this information with you. None of the survivors I know ever had any contact with police or social services due to the abuse.

 

[Alceste]

In these cases, Alceste, other entities need to get involved - law enforcement, department of social or human services and CPS, etc.

There are people that NEED to be made aware of the situation and the girl, who IS NOT YET an adult should not be going at this alone. Legally, in the US, an adult is responsible for her care. If those responsible have abused her, there is accountability. Someone has to step up and blow the whistle.

If she is mature enough to make a decision to purchase over the counter emergency contraception - she's mature enough to go to authorities and report the situation, so that the law can begin advocating on her behalf.

Having access to emergency contraception as a teen doesn't eliminate the negate circumstances at home. The abuse has to be addressed head on. If knows to purchase a pill...she knows to go to a guidance counselor at school, a teacher or someone else.

So she's too young to be trusted to decide for herself whether or not to have a child, but old enough to be expected to act as her own advocate and protector in order to approach the police or social services to report the abuse?

That makes no sense to me.

You have a very idealistic impression of how these things usually go, if you don't mind my saying so. There are many very common patterns of behavior in victims of childhood sexual abuse, but reporting the abuse to authorities is not one of them.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

In these cases, Alceste, other entities need to get involved - law enforcement, department of social or human services and CPS, etc.

There are people that NEED to be made aware of the situation and the girl, who IS NOT YET an adult should not be going at this alone. Legally, in the US, an adult is responsible for her care. If those responsible have abused her, there is accountability. Someone has to step up and blow the whistle.

If she is mature enough to make a decision to purchase over the counter emergency contraception - she's mature enough to go to authorities and report the situation, so that the law can begin advocating on her behalf.

Having access to emergency contraception as a teen doesn't eliminate the negate circumstances at home. The abuse has to be addressed head on. If knows to purchase a pill...she knows to go to a guidance counselor at school, a teacher or someone else.

I wish it were that way, too. I agree, the abuse must be addressed head on. What else would help to prevent these girls from having to go through a pregnancy while we're trying to solve the problem of sexual abuse overall?

 

[Father Heathen]

If young children are getting knocked up, it warrants an investigation by authorities. It is either abuse and/or neglect on the parents part.

 

[Alceste]

If young children are getting knocked up, it warrants an investigation by authorities. It is either abuse and/or neglect on the parents part.

I agree to that, but still think there should be no barriers on girls younger than 15 buying the pill. Having to navigate through police and social services to terminate a pregnancy would be terrifying for a messed up, abused kid.

 

[Valjean]

Do you have children?

I have two daughters and I do give a damn as to what happens in their lives. Parental permission ensures that responsible parents like myself, have the ability to support our youth with these types of decisions.

You're not legally responsible for my girls nor did you carry them in your womb for nine months, to dedicate your life to rearing them into healthy, happy and productive people.

I'm totally in my daughters' business at all times and I'm a practical minded person. If either ever felt that this was their best recourse for a mistake they made, I have the legal right to support them and to be aware of this type of decision.

Teens are horny, they're impulsive. They don't think long-term. Like deer in rut, they just act.
Teens are often reluctant to go to their parents about sexual things. They resort to denial. They put off dealing with problems till it's too late.
Plan B gives young women a way to secretly and discretely deal with a problem they would otherwise try to sweep under the rug.

Quick question, I may have missed it, but is there anything to stop a girl from going to multiple different pharmacies getting multiple pills and taking them all at once in the hopes that it would be more effective?

There are plenty of over-the-counter drugs with more severe side effects than L-norgestrel. What's to prevent kids from abusing these? What's to prevent a pregnant teen from killing herself with a bottle of Tylenol rather than facing the disapproval of her parents?

 

[Father Heathen]

I agree to that, but still think there should be no barriers on girls younger than 15 buying the pill. Having to navigate through police and social services to terminate a pregnancy would be terrifying for a messed up, abused kid.

But a failure to notify proper authorities would only serve to perpetuate the messed up situations/conditions the children find themselves in. It would be better for a medical professional to administer the drug rather than trust a child to be responsible enough to self-administer (especially considering the possibility that a lack of responsibility is what placed them in that predicament to begin with).

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Christ, you swallow a pill. It's not rocket science, even for a 14 year old.

The way I see it, if a 13 or 14 year old gets pregnant, and their first thought is to get the pill and not to go to their parents, then there's probably a damn good reason for them not to go to their parents.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

But a failure to notify proper authorities would only serve to perpetuate the messed up situations/conditions the children find themselves in. It would be better for a medical professional to administer the drug rather than trust a child to be responsible enough to self-administer (especially considering the possibility that a lack of responsibility is what placed them in that predicament to begin with).

The problem with this is that in reality, most sexual abuse goes unreported. All the while, we have young girls who are getting pregnant by those they either trust or are deathly afraid of.

Ensuring that the proper authorities are notified at a much higher rate than now I would assume requires major and complex changes. I support that 100%. I would just hate to see young girls have to go through a pregnancy if they can efficiently terminate it.

How legitimate are the fears for health risk of girls younger than 15 self-administering the pills?

 

[Skwim]

Christ, you swallow a pill. It's not rocket science, even for a 14 year old.

The way I see it, if a 13 or 14 year old gets pregnant, and their first thought is to get the pill and not to go to their parents, then there's probably a damn good reason for them not to go to their parents.

 

[Father Heathen]

Christ, you swallow a pill. It's not rocket science, even for a 14 year old.

The way I see it, if a 13 or 14 year old gets pregnant, and their first thought is to get the pill and not to go to their parents, then there's probably a damn good reason for them not to go to their parents.

If there is an issue with the parents, then authorities should know for the child's sake rather than tossing the kid a pill and brushing what might either be gross negligence or routine sexual abuse under the rug.

 

[Alceste]

But a failure to notify proper authorities would only serve to perpetuate the messed up situations/conditions the children find themselves in. It would be better for a medical professional to administer the drug rather than trust a child to be responsible enough to self-administer (especially considering the possibility that a lack of responsibility is what placed them in that predicament to begin with).

I agree that we need to do better in making sure abused children are aware of their rights and agencies that can help them, but I don't think erecting pointless barriers for terrified, desperate pregnant girls is an effective way to achieve this goal.

On the other hand, the morning after pill is not available over the counter in Canada. You'd get it from your doctor or an anonymous health clinic. That's only going to work if there are no obstacles to obtaining the help of a doctor though, which is not the case in the US.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

If there is an issue with the parents, then authorities should know for the child's sake rather than tossing the kid a pill and brushing what might either be gross negligence or routine sexual abuse under the rug.

Indeed. But if there is abuse or neglect, in any circumstance, then, ideally, it should be checked out. It's rather presumptuous, and a bit naive, to assume that every 14 year old getting pregnant resulted from abuse or neglect. Just to clarify, are you positing that every 14 year old girl who goes to get the morning after pill should be reported to the authorities?

 

[Father Heathen]

The problem with this is that in reality, most sexual abuse goes unreported.

Exactly. If a child is coming to your pharmacy in need of such a drug, then it's likely a situation that social services should be aware of. You can give the kid a pill to solve their pregnancy problem, but it doesn't solve the issue that placed them in that predicament to begin with. If you suspect a child is being abused and/or neglected but decide to keep silent about it, then you aide and abide that abuse.

 

[Alceste]

If there is an issue with the parents, then authorities should know for the child's sake rather than tossing the kid a pill and brushing what might either be gross negligence or routine sexual abuse under the rug.

The problem is that you're making access to the solution more difficult for those who need it the most. An abused child's decision whether or not to report the abuse should be held separate to the decision whether to terminate an unplanned pregnancy.

Also, the morning after pill is administered long before anybody could know whether or not they are pregnant. You need to take it in the first week or two after the incident, I believe. Any delay or obstacle placed in front of young girls would compromise their opportunity to use it in the first place.