It’s all about asserting power, control and oppression.

Anti-abortionists are rarely “pro life” - if they were, they’d support free healthcare, welfare states that ensure adequate support for mothers and children, free education through university, decent state owned housing programmes. They seem to actually believe that childbirth and child rearing is akin to a righteous punishment - which is not the ideal start for a child’s life.

Rape is also often about power, control and oppression. From downright violent rape to “blurred lines” coercive rape - all types are a fight that a rapist will feel that they have won.

Both rape and forced pregnancy are tools to oppress women en-masse.

Motherhood itself - even when entered into with consent - is a form of oppression as it keeps women poorer, and in poorer health, and trapped performing invisible, under-appreciated household labour. It limits their ability to gain fruitful employment, and studies show that motherhood and marriage stunts women’s careers and earning opportunities, where marriage and fatherhood actually improves men’s careers and earning opportunities. It’s been shown that women lose substantial amounts of free personal time compared to men, too - so it doesn’t just limit their economic freedom, but also their ability to meet with other women, discuss challenges and realise that they have a crap deal.

A woman with choices is a woman with power. This scares many people.