ABORTION

Abortion represents more than a medical or moral decision; it is an existential dilemma that touches the deepest aspects of personal autonomy, dignity, and social belonging. Women who undergo abortion often confront not only the physical and emotional dimensions of the act but also the heavy weight of social and relIgious stigmatization. Such stigmatization creates an atmosphere of judgment and exclusion, reducing a profoundly personal experience to a source of shame. Abortion challenges cultural expectations that define womanhood in terms of motherhood and reproductive roles. When a woman chooses abortion, she is often perceived as defying communal values, leading to isolation, secrecy, and in many cases, long-term psychological trauma. The human cost of such stigmatization is often overlooked in public discourse, as attention is placed more on moral condemnation than on compassion and understanding. Abortion is frequently cast as a violation of divine order and the sanctity of life. This view, while deeply rooted in sacred traditions, often disregards the real human struggles. poverty, abuse, health risks, or personal circumstances that shape such choices. Yet within these same traditions exist currents of mercy, compassion, and contextual reasoning that recognize human frailty and moral complexity. This project argues that approaching abortion from a human perspective demands moving beyond rigid stigmatization toward empathy and dialogue. By affirming women as moral agents capable of difficult decisions, society and religion can create spaces for healing rather than condemnation. The problem of stigmatization reveals not only the tension between
life and choice but also the urgent need for a more humane ethic, one that values dignity, justice, and compassion in addressing the realities of abortion.