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In recent years the pro-life movement has experienced great success in reaching post-abortive women through Bible studies geared to meet their special healing needs. Finally tools are in place to minister to post- abortive males.

Many men have come forward to express the pain of their abortion experiences. Dr. Stephen Arterburn, co-founder of Minirth-Meyer New Life Clinics states in a Heartlink article "Guilt haunted and seeped into every fiber of who I am, resulting in 80 internal ulcers. I could not forgive myself nor accept that God had. A doctor told me I would need surgery - or I might even die -if something did not change. After two years of turmoil, I finally accepted the forgiveness that Christ had provided, forgave myself and started over. The post-abortion syndrome I experienced is the same as hundreds of men have shared with me after hearing my story." Read more about his post-abortion experience.

Ken Freeman, Director of Last Harvest Ministries, in the same Heartlink issue, expressed, "It wasn't until years later that I experienced the full impact of this [abortion] decision and the devastating realization that I had contributed to the killing of my own offspring . . . Last Harvest's national hotline receives calls from men every week, reporting such difficulties as horrifying, reoccurring nightmares, deep-rooted rage toward the woman who obtained the abortion, feelings of loss of manhood and almost all the same emotional symptoms women commonly report."

The American Medical News, October 14th, 1991 issue, contained a story by Dr. Christopher Moore entitled, "Husband Mourns Outcome of Wife's Painful Decision." He states, "Even though I was the father and wanted to care for my child, I couldn't unless my wife wanted to have it. She controlled her life, our child's life and my life. I controlled nothing. I had no rights. I was just the father."

Here on our site, read One Post-Abortion Man Shares His Pain.

Sociologist Arthur Shostak observed in the Family Coordinator, that three out of four male respondents studied said they had a difficult time with the abortion experience and that a sizable minority reported persistent day and night dreams about the child that never was, and considerable guilt, remorse and sadness.

In a NOEL newsletter, Gary Thomas shared his thoughts in an article entitled, "The Father's Perspective." In discussing the stages of post-abortion recognition, he found that the first stage was the awakening. "For men this is necessary because the abortion is not as real as it is for women." Re-membrance is the next stage as the man grieves for his lost child. This leads to the final step of questioning how the abortion has challenged his role as a man.

In our culture men are generally expected to be assertive, independent, self-controlled providers and protectors. The abortion experience violates each of these roles.

With our current abortion laws, a new double standard has been introduced into society. Though the father cannot choose life for his child, he must pay for any born children until they are eighteen years old, despite how he feels. If a child is placed in adoption he has an opportunity to express his opinion, but the abortionist listens only to the will of the woman.

Men respond to this violation of their role different ways. Our culture is experiencing an increased number of uncommitted males who view their sexuality and the children that are born as a result of their actions as a woman's problem only. They see themselves as free of all responsibility. Other men respond by becoming angry and violent as they rage against their powerlessness to protect even the children conceived as a result of their married love.

As Christians, we must recognize that more than 36 million American males have been involved in the abortion of a child. We have the opportunity to help them find the healing love of Jesus Christ by recognizing their pain, by seeing the truth about abortion, by giving them a safe place to grieve and by helping men establish positive trust relationships with accountability.

If you are or know of a man who would benefit from a post-abortion Bible study, call the Assist CPC office at 703-354-7272 and let us know of your interest.

Copyright (c) 2000 by Linda Perry. All rights reserved.