Texas Gov. Greg Abbott defends abortion law, says state will ‘eliminate rape’
the U.S. Supreme Court last week ruled 5-4 against abortion rights groups seeking to prevent it from taking effect.
More:Department of Justice vows to protect those seeking abortion from new Texas law
Abortion rights groups have said the law could deny women access to abortions even before they are pregnant in some cases. It has no exception for rape or incest.
Asked on Tuesday why the state would force a victim of rape or incest to carry a pregnancy to term, Abbott defended the law.
“Rape is a crime, and Texas will work tirelessly to make sure we eliminate all rapists from the streets of Texas by aggressively going out and arresting them and prosecuting them and getting them off the streets. So goal no. 1 in the state of Texas is to eliminate rape so that no woman, no person, will be a victim of rape,” he said Tuesday.
Speaking for the first time since the Supreme Court’s decision, Abbott said state-supported organizations also would “provide support for those who are victims of rape.”