A Republican lawmaker in South Carolina said that a 12-year-old rape victim could take an ambulance to Walmart for emergency contraception instead of getting an abortion.
Rep. Doug Gilliam (R) made the comments on Tuesday during an exchange with another GOP representative, Gil Gatch who argued for exceptions for minors in the state’s abortion ban.
Gatch said that under the abortion ban that was initially proposed, a child rape victim who had been impregnated by her father would be “forced” to carry a pregnancy to term.
“She had choices,” Gilliam responded, arguing that the victim for instance, could take Plan B rather than continue a pregnancy and later terminate it.
“The morning after pill was available… that’s available in Walmart,” Gilliam said.
“If her dad rapes her … who drives her to get the morning after pill?” Gatch asked.
“The ambulance,” Gilliam replied.
The South Carolina House passed an abortion ban on Tuesday with exceptions for rape and incest up to 12 weeks of pregnancy and to save the life of the mother. An earlier version of the bill with no exceptions for rape or incest failed by eight votes, according to the Washington Post.
