In a new poll, a stunningly large number of Americans agree, to some degree, that “abortion is the same as murdering a child.”
Respondents to a new The Economist/YouGov Poll poll released this week were asked a raft of questions about abortion rights, likely due to the cases that are being considered by the Supreme Court.
Last week, the court heard arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, a case challenging a Mississippi law that prohibits abortion at 15 weeks, well before Roe v. Wade‘s “viability” standard.
And this week, the court declined to halt an even more strict Texas law.
As has consistently been the case, very few respondents — only 31 percent — say they want to see Roe overturned. A slim majority of 51 percent say they do not want to see Roe overturned, with the remainder responding “Not sure.”
But a shockingly high number of Americans take a very harsh view of terminating a pregnancy.
Respondents to the poll were asked “Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? Abortion is the same as murdering a child.”
A stunning 45 percent said they agree with that statement, with 31 percent saying they “strongly agree” and another 14 percent saying they “somewhat agree.”
That’s a slim one-point plurality, compared to the only 44 percent who said they disagree “strongly” (31%) or “somewhat” (13%) that Abortion is the same as murdering a child.
That view was significantly more prevalent among women — 34 percent of whom agreed “strongly” versus 28 percent for men — and particularly among White women with no college degree (39% strongly agreed).
Polling on abortion rights is very often a hot contradictory mess, a maxim that appears to become more true the more questions you ask. Respondents were asked if they agree with the statement “If a pregnant woman does not want to be a parent, she can give her child up for adoption,” and 78 percent said they agree.
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