I can't really vote because I'm not sure I understand what "No, however father's rights should be altered" means.
I understand that this is in regards to the idea that not paying child support can be a felony. You have to understand that the vast majority of times when any child support is mandated by the courts is after a divorce. It's not as if a man fucks a woman then is stuck with payments for years down the road. He made the decision to have a child with his wife. If he backs out of that deal, it's not like the kid stops existing, or the wife can suddenly handle it on her own. Of course not paying should be a felony. It's akin to murder.
Now, in the situation you're describing, where a woman has a child without the consent of the father, things are a little different. In all likelihood, a method of contraception failed, or the woman decided to stop using it without informing him. (Note: I understand these are not the only possibilities, I simply use them for argument) In that instance, I think it's perfectly acceptable for the father to be absolved of the responsibility to the child. If the woman then still wishes to raise the child, it should be her responsibility. There should be a legal process, however, to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the father did not consent.
HOWEVER. Before anything like this happens, we MUST make abortions 100% legal and safe. If a precedent is set that a man can simply knock up a woman then drop her like yesterday's news, even more women will be stuck as unwilling single mothers. Unless they then have the option to deal with that, that is simply unfair.
|