Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says he'll “eliminate” rape rather than let victims get abortions. That's after his bill that bans abortions without any exception for rape or incest and offers bounties to vigilantes.
"Is it reasonable to tell a rape victim who didn't realize they were pregnant in time to legally get an abortion — "Well, don't worry about it, because we're going to eliminate rape as a problem." asked Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday to Abbott about his law that forbids abortion after six weeks. - Forbes
This map shows almost 15,000 rape cases reported by the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Uniform Crime Reporting Bureau in 2019. The map shows how far rape victims in Texas may potentially have to travel out of state for help now that Abbott has effectively closed all women's reproductive health care clinics in Texas.
Abortion ban with no exception for rape nor incest
"Where are the anti-abortionists in Texas demanding that all eligible people be vaccinated against COVID-19 to ensure the safety of those too young to get a vaccine? Where is their outcry for the kids going without health care? Or for those that are hungry? I’ll tell you. Those people are silent in the face of children’s suffering. They assume no responsibility nor display any compassion once a fetus is out of someone’s womb. The term “pro-life” is a misnomer for them. They’re actually pro-birth as they don’t give a damn about the quality of an infant or child’s life after they’re born. If this isn’t the real-life version of the Handmaid’s Tale, I don’t know what is." - Vena Moore in Fearless She Wrote.
While Abbott is busy banning abortions and gerrymandering districts, consider what's happening in Texas:
"43 children have been hospitalized for COVID per day in Texas over the last two months. The state leads the country in child deaths from COVID due to Abbott refusing to enact mask mandates.
13% of the children in Texas lacked health insurance in 2019 - over double the national average. 17% Latinx children in Texas lacked health insurance. Abbott's failure to expand Medicaid coverage is cited as the main reason for the poor state of children's health.
Approximately 22% of Texas children under age 18 are food insecure, which is the highest in the nation.
Handmaid's Tale - Republican edition
The Handmaid's Tale is a Hulu Original is based on Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel. It takes place in an alternative America where the Gilead suppressive regime abuses women and aims to realign priorities and bring power back to the patriarchy. Follow the money that's converting Texas into a Gilead.
"The billionaire Wilks brothers, who have become generous donors to right-wing politicians and Republican Party committees. While both Farris and Dan have given to conservative groups and candidates, it is older brother Farris whose foundation has become a source of massive donations to Religious Right groups and to the Koch brothers' political network. Farris also funds a network of "pregnancy centers" that refuse, on principle, to talk to single women about contraception. Married women need to check with their husband and pastor." - Prospect
“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them”
Maps make data easier to grasp
Good storytelling apps make it easier to understand the facts. These are the apps used to explain the facts behind rapes, lack of abortions and dark money donations in Texas. These three apps can be used individually or combined into a larger story.
Kumu - A free app that helps map the connections between people and organizations.
This power map of the money creating Handmaid's Tale in Texas can be freely shared with this link https://embed.kumu.io/35344d8ab94ee9e0d98bdd8e2a2f0da4 or embedded in a website with this code:
< iframe src="https://embed.kumu.io/35344d8ab94ee9e0d98bdd8e2a2f0da4" width="940" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe>
StoryMaps - an app that lets you combine text, images, videos and maps into a compelling interactive story that's easy to share on social media. An annual license costs about $100/year. This StoryMap about rapes in Texas and the lack of reproductive health clinics can be freely shared with this link https://arcg.is/1W9GGn1 or embedded in a website with this code:
< iframe src="https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f90324d6a2f14eea8a3bdcdd1ec6cb4d?header" width="100%" height="500px" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="geolocation"></iframe>
ArcGIS Online - This versatile app creates a range of maps. We mapped 2019 data from the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Uniform Crime Reporting Bureau about rape cases in the state. It also shows how far rape victims in Texas may potentially have to travel out of state for help now that Abbott has effectively closed all women's reproductive health care clinics in Texas.
This map can be freely shared with this link https://arcg.is/1PCjS9 or embedded in a website with this code:
< iframe width="300" height="200" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen src="https://arcg.is/1PCjS9"></iframe>
Use humor to convey your message
Cartoons help illustrate your point. We used two from Political Cartoons to illustrate Greg Abbott's handling of abortions, rapes, COVID safety and voter suppression in Texas.
First get their attention
A ten second clip was edited from the Handmaid's Tale trailer from Hulu using the free iMovie app. This was converted into a GIF with the free ezGIF app to illustrate Abbott treats Texas women. Millions of viewers watch the HandMaid's Tale which helps draw readers' attention and provides a good analogy to the situation in Texas.
TakeAway: People are busy. Craft your message so it's easy to understand and share.
Deepak
DemLabs
Image credit: Hulu Original