Failed girls

At Feministe, Jill writes about a heartsickening story of a 13 year old’s self-induced abortion after being impregnated by a 30 year old: “… And her community and her culture — the people who are supposed to tell her that she’s important, that she’s loved, that she deserves pleasure, that she deserves autonomy — failed her. We fail girls all the time. We put girls in impossible, heart-wrenching positions. We give girls little autonomy and few options, and then we’re surprised when they act like animals caught in traps.”

I’m not sure I agree that a lack of autonomy was a major factor here. But it’s hard to read the full story and not agree that the girl’s family and community somehow failed to let her know she’s important, loved, and valuable. Nor to hope that things get a hell of a lot better for her- and a hell of a lot worse for the 30 year old.