Men Describe Suffering From Post-Abortion Trauma: ‘I Was Totally Destroyed’

By Sarah Terzo
Live Action News

Much of the time, when one thinks of abortion regret, it is usually the post-abortive woman that comes to mind. But many men also struggle with regret from playing either passive or active roles in the abortions of their children.

In her book, “Killing Sarah Grace,” Stacy Sistrunk wrote that before her abortion, her ex-boyfriend came to her house and begged her not to abort:

Once he arrived and we sat down to talk, he began to cry. He was begging me to keep our child. He promised to help me, even if I did not want to be with him. He offered to take the child himself and raise it if I did not want to.

I was totally deaf to his plea. For a brief moment, I remember feeling for him as he was obviously in pain over this. How ironic that this young man, although not very much to the world and with little to offer anyone, was begging for his child….

I told him I would consider all he had said and he left in no better state than in which he came. I did not speak to him again before the procedure.1

READ: Fathers express post-abortion regret: ‘I’m a father of five, but I only raised three’

Many years later, Sistrunk came to regret her abortion. She wrote a letter to her baby’s father:

I had to ask my child’s father to forgive me for aborting our child. It was maybe the most difficult letter I had ever written.…

I do not remember the exact contents, but I know I was sincere, and I remember sobbing as I wrote. It was a bit challenging to find an address for him and so I contacted his sister.… She agreed to deliver it to him. I still have no idea if he ever received it. I never heard from him.…

[Years later] it was… sad to hear that his life had been a mess full of time in jail, drugs, etc. I started to feel somewhat responsible, but God reminded me that I had given it all to him. I silently prayed for him one night and I let it go.2

While we don’t know if regret over the abortion contributed to the man’s drug abuse, it is clear he had serious problems in his life after the abortion.

Sistrunk’s ex-boyfriend is not alone. Sadly, there are many similar testimonies. Here is one by a man named Randy:

I was just devastated. I remember falling off my bed… and I couldn’t get up. I thought I’d lost my mind. At that point, I was totally destroyed.… My baby was sentenced to be killed for no purpose and it made no sense to me.

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Voices for Life is an e-publication dedicated to informing and educating the public on pro-life and pro-family issues. To read our Mission Statement, use this link.  Follow us on Facebook, Google, and Pinterest.  Help us spread the pro-life message by sharing our articles on your favorite social networks.
Pregnant, need help or know someone who does?

National Hotline: Call 1-800-712-HELP or Text 'HELPLINE' to 313131.
In Southeast Penna:  Call the Community Women's Center at  215-826-8090

If you or someone you know is suffering after abortion, confidential non-judgmental help is available.  Call Project Rachel's national toll-free number 888-456-HOPE (4673) or visit hopeafterabortion.org.  

If You Have Two Eyes and Half a Heart, You Know Post-Abortive Trauma is Real

 “I Still Have Her Due Date Circled on a Calendar” 

By Kurt Walden
Pregnancy Help News

Reading John Ensor’s article on the abortion doc who may be re-evaluating his thinking on why he is in the life-ending business (it’s a great read—check it out) reminded me of a moment when I came face-to-face with post abortion trauma, perhaps for the first time.

She was a college student, a client in for a pregnancy test at the center where I once served. As she waited for her results, we began talking and she brought up the fact she had an earlier abortion. 

“Tell me about it,” I said. “Did you experience any after-effects?”

I was trying to be open-ended with my question, to see what she might say. I knew statistics. What I didn’t know was about to surprise me.

“It was fine,” she said. “No problems. I just kind of went in, it happened. I’m okay.”

Fortunately, I said nothing. This was not a time for argument or even more questions. Maybe it was the Lord reminding me (as He does often) that my best response is usually to keep my mouth shut.

Her pregnancy test came back. It was negative. For her, a crisis averted. She could go back to class without worry. But we had a chance to talk again. 

“You mentioned everything went okay with your abortion,” I said. “I don’t hear that often.” 

Again, trying to be open-ended. No reason to fight about it if this was her perception. She looked at me. In her eye, a tear began to form.

“They gave me a valium before I even signed the consent form,” she blurted out. “They just ran me through like I was a number. No counseling, no nothing. They just kept pushing all of us through to the next station until we were done and they sent us home.

“It was awful,” she continued. “I don’t think I could ever do it again.”

How things can change in a matter of minutes. Before receiving her test result, abortion was okay; no big deal. Was it because she knew she was considering the same option again?  Before seeing her results, I wonder if she felt forced to see abortion as a positive, empowering decision. But after the test, without having to worry about a pregnancy, the truth poured out.  I’ll never forget her closing words regarding her abortion.

 “I still have her due date circled on a calendar,” she told me.

Pregnancy Help News continues 



 

 Voices for Life is an e-publication dedicated to informing and educating the public on pro-life and pro-family issues. To read our Mission Statement, use this link.  Follow us on Facebook,  Google, and Pinterest.  Help us spread the pro-life message by sharing our articles on your favorite social networks.

Pregnant, need help or know someone who does?  

National Hotline: Call 1-800-712-HELP or Text 'HELPLINE' to 313131.
In Southeast Penna:  Call or text 610-626-4006  

If you or someone you know is suffering after abortion, confidential non-judgmental help is available.  Call Project Rachel's national toll-free number 888-456-HOPE (4673) or visit hopeafterabortion.org.