A recent study by the Centre for the Advancement of Women shows that a majority of women in America would support abortion only in extreme cases or would have it banned outright.

The study noted that 30 per cent of women support abortion on demand, 17 per cent advocate moderate limitations, 34 per cent believe that abortion is only acceptable in cases of rape or incest, while 17 per cent believe that abortion should be outlawed entirely. Notably, the number of women who advocate abortion on demand is down four percentage points from the Centre’s 2001 statistics, while the number of women who advocate a complete ban on all abortion is up three percent.

A closer look at the totals shows that less than one in three women support the American status quo of abortion on demand, while 81 per cent support restrictions or a prohibition. Furthermore, a slight majority (51 per cent) support an outright ban, or limiting abortion to the so-called “hard cases” of rape or incest.

The study also found that, among the 12 issues women considered a top priority (issues listed by the centre’s poll), “keeping abortion legal” was second-to-last with 41 per cent – three percentage points ahead of “increasing the number of girls who participate in organized sports.” Topping the list of priorities were the reduction of domestic violence and sexual assault, which was rated as a top priority by 92 per cent of the respondents, as well as women receiving equal pay in the workforce, which was a top concern of 90 per cent of those polled.

Faye Wattleton, the centre’s president, commented on CNN’s Inside Politics that the poll indicates “the anti-abortion message has gotten through to a lot of women.”

Wattleton, who was president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America for 14 years, said in an interview with the Washington Post that she found the results “disturbing.” She did not, however, contest the study’s findings – “We want to be sure to show women’s true perspective” – and it seems that the perspectives of women, as well as the general population, are changing.

The study followed closely upon a number of pro-life victories at both the state and the federal level. In addition to the many states which have enacted laws restricting abortion, Congress has once again passed a partial-birth abortion ban, which was vetoed by former president Bill Clinton; the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, sponsored by Rep. Melissa Hart (R, Penn.) has already passed the House of Representatives, and is expected to pass in the Senate and be signed into law.

As pro-life victories continue in the United States, the findings of the poll are consistent with a burgeoning respect for life. Commenting on the significance of the poll, Campaign Life Coalition Youth executive director Gillian Long told The Interim that “with their own research, the pro-abortion movement is revealing how disconnected it is from the real concerns of women. They are not clamoring for the right to kill their children.”

When asked about the cause of this shift, Long commented: “A generation of victims is warning a generation of survivors that abortion is not liberating, but demeaning; not empowering, but injurious.” The study also noted that eight out of 10 women had no second thoughts about their positions on abortion: “They have paid a high price for this knowledge.”

As the 2004 presidential election draws near, not one Democratic presidential candidate shares current President George W. Bush’s opposition to abortion. With this study showing a strong and continuing trend toward the pro-life position among women, the upcoming debate on the subject promises to be as prominent as it is contentious. This, together with a foreseeable Supreme Court appointment by Bush, is likely to thrust abortion into the forefront of political discourse, ranking with the war on terror and the economy.