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Rep. Todd Akin Says Women Can Shut Down Post-Rape Pregnancy [Updated]

Republican Congressman and GOP Senate nominee in Missouri, Todd Akin, said this weekend that so-called “legitimate rape” rarely causes pregnancy.

Posted on
Summer Anne Burton
Summer Anne Burton
BuzzFeed Staff

Rep. Akin's remarks

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From what I understand from doctors, that's really rare. If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that down. But let’s assume that maybe that didn’t work or something. I think there should be some punishment, but the punishment ought to be on the rapist and not attacking the child.

Rep. Akin, currently the Republican nominee for Senate in Missouri, is a longstanding, outspoken opponent of abortion. He has, in the past, suggested banning the morning after pill in all cases. “As far as I’m concerned, the morning-after pill is a form of abortion, and I think we just shouldn’t have abortion in this country."

But even within the context of a pro-life argument, these recent remarks are hard to understand -- starting with the idea that one can categorize rapes as either legitimate or non-legitimate, and even more muddled by the concept that women can psychologically control whether or not they become pregnant after they are raped. One might be able to draw the conclusion from his comments that he believes that women who do become pregnant after they are raped didn't try hard enough to keep themselves from bearing the child of their rapist.

If you would like to see the comments in context, watch a longer cut of the interview here.

"Rep. Todd Akin" is currently a trending topic on Twitter.

HAHAHHAHA Rep. Todd Akin serves on the Science and Technology committee in the House. PLEASE, MAKE IT STOP.
amaeryllis @amaeryllis

HAHAHHAHA Rep. Todd Akin serves on the Science and Technology committee in the House. PLEASE, MAKE IT STOP.

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HAHAHHAHA Rep. Todd Akin serves on the Science and Technology committee in the House. PLEASE, MAKE IT STOP.-- amaeryllis

Congratulations, Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.), for constructing what is surely the stupidest 18-word sentence ever uttered in English.
Katharine Shilcutt @kshilcutt

Congratulations, Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.), for constructing what is surely the stupidest 18-word sentence ever uttered in English.

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Congratulations, Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.), for constructing what is surely the stupidest 18-word sentence ever uttered in English.-- Katharine Shilcutt

Rep. Todd Akin is--in case you missed it--CURRENTLY MAKING FEDERAL LAWS. Gah.
southpaw @nycsouthpaw

Rep. Todd Akin is--in case you missed it--CURRENTLY MAKING FEDERAL LAWS. Gah.

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Rep. Todd Akin is--in case you missed it--CURRENTLY MAKING FEDERAL LAWS. Gah.-- southpaw

I know rape jokes are currently “out of favor,” but Rep. Todd Akin of MO has an amazing one: http://t.co/Yi2GCAYO #LOL
rob delaney @robdelaney

I know rape jokes are currently “out of favor,” but Rep. Todd Akin of MO has an amazing one: http://t.co/Yi2GCAYO #LOL

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I know rape jokes are currently “out of favor,” but Rep. Todd Akin of MO has an amazing one: http://t.co/Yi2GCAYO #LOL-- rob delaney

RT if you're a Republican who thinks Akin should step down
Patrick Ruffini @PatrickRuffini

RT if you're a Republican who thinks Akin should step down

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RT if you're a Republican who thinks Akin should step down-- Patrick Ruffini

Thus far, the only high-profile defense of Rep. Akin's comments came from conservative radio host Dana Loesch:

Wow, I see a lot of people freaking out over Akin's remarks.
Dana Loesch @DLoesch

Wow, I see a lot of people freaking out over Akin's remarks.

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Wow, I see a lot of people freaking out over Akin's remarks.-- Dana Loesch

Seems to me like Akin was trying to fit medical explanation into a soundbite. Not the best statement, but some are stretching it majorly.
Dana Loesch @DLoesch

Seems to me like Akin was trying to fit medical explanation into a soundbite. Not the best statement, but some are stretching it majorly.

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Seems to me like Akin was trying to fit medical explanation into a soundbite. Not the best statement, but some are stretching it majorly.-- Dana Loesch

Akin's incumbent opponent Claire McCaskill has weighed in on the controversy:

As a woman & former prosecutor who handled 100s of rape cases,I'm stunned by Rep Akin's comments about victims this AM http://t.co/n9SVOukJ
Claire McCaskill @clairecmc

As a woman & former prosecutor who handled 100s of rape cases,I'm stunned by Rep Akin's comments about victims this AM http://t.co/n9SVOukJ

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As a woman & former prosecutor who handled 100s of rape cases,I'm stunned by Rep Akin's comments about victims this AM http://t.co/n9SVOukJ-- Claire McCaskill

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Todd Akin celebrates his win in the senate primary race at his campaign party at the Columns Banquet Center in St. Charles, Mo., on Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012.
Christian Gooden / AP

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Todd Akin celebrates his win in the senate primary race at his campaign party at the Columns Banquet Center in St. Charles, Mo., on Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012.

Rape-related pregnancy study from 1996

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8765248

According to this study conducted by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Medical University of South Carolina, approximately 32,000 pregnancies are a result of rape every year in the United States, and five percent of rape victims are impregnated.

UPDATE 5:15 PM ET, August 19:

Akin has released a statement saying that he "misspoke," although he does not clarify what he was trying to say.

As a member of Congress, I believe that working to protect the most vulnerable in our society is one of my most important responsibilities, and that includes protecting both the unborn and victims of sexual assault. In reviewing my off-the-cuff remarks, it's clear that I misspoke in this interview and it does not reflect the deep empathy I hold for the thousands of women who are raped and abused every year. Those who perpetrate these crimes are the lowest of the low in our society and their victims will have no stronger advocate in the Senate to help ensure they have the justice they deserve.I recognize that abortion, and particularly in the case of rape, is a very emotionally charged issue. But I believe deeply in the protection of all life and I do not believe that harming another innocent victim is the right course of action. I also recognize that there are those who, like my opponent, support abortion and I understand I may not have their support in this election."But I also believe that this election is about a wide range of very important issues, starting with the economy and the type of country we will be leaving our children and grandchildren. We've had 42 straight months of unacceptably high unemployment, trillion-dollar deficits, and Democratic leaders in Washington who are focused on growing government, instead of jobs. That is my primary focus in this campaign and while there are those who want to distract from that, knowing they cannot defend the Democrats' failed economic record of the last four years, that will continue to be my focus in the months ahead.

Executive Creative Producer at BuzzFeed

Contact Summer Anne Burton at summer@buzzfeed.com.

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