The governor of Texas, which has one of the most stringent abortion bans in the United States, has recommended that sexual assault victims take the morning-after pill to avoid becoming pregnant. This seems to be one of the attempts to stop the controversy from spreading by informing people how to prevent unwanted pregnancies as the Democratic Party’s supporters gather as the issue of abortion emerges as one of the issues ahead of the midterm elections in November.
In an interview with local media KXAS-TV and the Dallas Morning News on the 4th, Republican Governor Greg Abbott of Texas reminded victims of sexual assault that they can get “mortem contraceptive” medical services to avoid pregnancy.
“We want to support victims,” Abbott said in an interview, the Dallas Morning News reported.
“If you get medical care right away, you can first get a Plan B pill to prevent pregnancy,” he said.
Since last month, Texas has enacted an anti-abortion law that bans abortion even in cases of rape or incest and imposes civil and criminal penalties for providing an abortion.
In addition, the law bans abortion after 6 weeks of pregnancy, which in effect completely bans abortion.
Plan B, also known as the morning after pill, is an emergency contraceptive pill that was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1999. A synthetic hormone called levonorgestrel prevents fertilization.
The emergency contraceptive pill is supposed to be used within 72 hours of having sex, but it is said to be most effective if taken within 24 hours.