The resource I have added is an article called, “I Was
Forced to Get Pregnant”. The article includes background about reproductive coercion. This form of domestic
violence is quite different than other forms. It includes verbal and physical,
but also the individual’s reproductive health is the main source of power as
the other partner tries to control it. The article tells two stories about two
different women. Both women are over taken by their partners. The women’s sole
purpose for the relationship or for the man was for the woman to have children.
The situation became so severe in the second story that the woman had to
convince the doctor to give her a hysterectomy in order for her husband to stop
trying to have children with her.
This articles connection to
the book is nearly a one to one ratio with Akiko. When reading the first story about the
woman Sara, it was almost as though it could have been Akiko’s story. Akiko was
abused physically and sexually, but it was beyond that. Akiko did not just see
her husband hitting her and abusing her, Akiko saw her husband using her for
her reproductive system. Throughout the story John says how nice it would be
for him to be a father. John works it in conversation and works desperately for
Akiko to start eating, that she may have her period again, and be able to
become pregnant. Also, John becomes aggressive when Akiko was hiding her period
and began beating her. Sara’s story follows along the same lines. I like this
resource because it does not make the abuse Akiko was receive as any normal
kind of abuse. The idea that men don’t just hit to hit, they want control.
Often times I think people can play off men begging women for having babies as
just something men do. Though I pray that men do not go to the lengths some of
the men did in the stories, but I do worrier there are more women out there
being used for their reproductive system
In many cultures, it is the duty of a woman to get pregnant and have kids because she is to give birth to the kin of the next generation of her husband's family. But I feel that if you want to get pregnant then it is your will to agree, not to be forced. Having a child is not easy at all, especially if he/she is raised in a environment filled with abuse from the father to the mother. Forcing another person to have a kid is like forcing yourself onto someone that doesn't want to be. We have choices and decisions, no one has the right to decide or choose for us no matter what.
ReplyDeleteA lot of things come to mind when reading your response to those articles. First off, It's strange for me to think about the men in relationships being the ones who desperately want kids. I always think of the women wanting the kids more and the men just going with it or they don't want kids on the same level or in the same way as women do. I'm not trying to say that all men don't want kids. But in a lot of cases it is very important for men to have kids and more importantly to have boys. We see that in a lot of countries in today's world like China. In John's case, though it's never mentioned, we can infer that the child he wants is male. He wants his name to be carried on. And he tries to control Akiko's whole body to get that. We also see that he eventually gets to a point where it doesn't even matter to him whose body he controls. He tries to rape Jane to get a child. He clearly doesn't have any emotions connecting him to the women in his life. He just sees them as bodies to bear children. It's a whole new type of abuse that I think most people don't know about. Women shouldn't be thought of as just child bearing people. It basically makes them an inanimate object with no power.
ReplyDelete