Mo. Rep. Todd Akin: Rape rarely leads to pregnancy

Rep. Todd Akin, R-Missouri, in February 2012 / AP Photo

(CBS/AP) ST. LOUIS - In an interview, Rep. Todd Akin, Missouri's Republican Senate candidate, has questioned whether women can become pregnant when they're raped.

St. Louis television station KTVI released an interview with Akin Sunday in which the congressman said that pregnancy from rape is "really rare." A video of the interview is posted on the station's website.

"If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down," Akin said, according to The Washington Post.

Akin added: "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."

Akin has said he opposes most abortions.

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Later Sunday, Akin issued a statement trying to walk back some of the remarks. According to the Post, the statement reads: "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. 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."

The Romney campaign released a statement denunciating Akin's words, saying: "Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan disagree with Mr. Akin's statement, and a Romney-Ryan administration would not oppose abortion in instances of rape."

Mo. Sen. Claire McCaskill

Akin has served six terms and has said he's Missouri's most conservative congressman. His opponent in the senate election, Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, said she was outraged by the comments.

"It is beyond comprehension that someone can be so ignorant about the emotional and physical trauma brought on by rape," McCaskill said in a statement, according to the Post. "The ideas that Todd Akin has expressed about the serious crime of rape and the impact on its victims are offensive."

Although there appear to be no exact figures, RAINN, an anti-sexual violence charity, has said medical reports indicate that about 5 percent of all unprotected, one-time sexual encounters end up in pregnancy, and that percent can be applied to rape victims. Since the FBI estimates (PDF) that about 75,720 U.S. women were raped in 2009, that means as many as 3,786 pregnancies resulted from the assaults.

[debrown55]

Look Republicans, either youre in or your out. Either you believe abortion is wrong or you dont. I personally think it's a woman's personal choice regardless of conception, but how can Romney and Ryan say taking this innocent life is wrong except when the conception is by rape. A life is a life. Either youre in or your out. Either youre anti women's choice or your not. These republicans say it's wrong to abort an innocent life except for.... How can they justify that position at all?

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

Republicans are experts at peddling hate, lies and propaganda and the sooner voters wake up to this the better off our great nation will be. Think of all 6the whoppers of lies by politicians and you'll fine the biggest and most were by republicans from Nixon, Reagan, G.W and Romney. In fact Romney's whole campaign is predicated on lies and propaganda.

It is clear republicans are unworthy of and cannot be trusted to run government in a non idealogue fashion.

Obama 2012

McCaskill 2012

[ge556]

"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."
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He's implying that punishment should only happen in the case of pregnancy!

[TimeToEvolve]

Honestly who votes for these imbeciles. I am surprised this guy is not wearing a nose bone and a headress and waving shrunken heads around.

[TJPride]

Only 2-3 pregnancies result per thousand rapes. Up to 40% of rape accusations are false (perhaps what he was referring to by "legitimate"). Of the women who -do- get pregnant as a result of rape, the 1/4 who abort is more or less identical to the 22% who abort outside of rape, leading one to conclude that rape does not significantly change women's views on whether the baby should die.

Now, I realize what Akin said was very undiplomatic, and will cost him in the polls short-term, but he was already up 10% on McCaskill and continuing to increase that margin, and long-term this will probably only affect the polls by a few percent. Todd is still a strong fiscal conservative and McCaskill is still someone who rubber-stamps Obama and avoided paying taxes.

[texasriver]

the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down,

Guess that is why the GOP does not think women need Birth Control either, the female body should be able to stop that from happening.
The problem with all this, is people believe this crap, and then go out and vote.
They all seem to walk around in some fantasy world...that the rest of us don't live in.

[SenoritaBonita13]

I never meant to say that the Conservatives are generally stupid. I meant to say that stupid people are generally Conservative. I believe that is so obviously and universally admitted a principle that I hardly think any will deny it

John Stuart Mill

[TimeToEvolve]

I like that quote, very accurate

[SpittinBullitz]

Another republican worm comes out of the woodwork.

[richardbl-2009]

The thesis of what Akin said (pregnancy as a result of rape is rare) is simply not true -- witness that there are 30000 pregnancies by rape annually AT THE MINIMUM in the US alone.

[WeHappyFew]

Of course women can become pregnant if raped which is precisely why it's been used almost universally throughout history in conflicts all over the globe as an act of terror and aggression against an enemy population.
Sometimes I think Christian conservatives must be a different species. **** Erectus, maybe.