Barbara Boxer: “It would be a disaster for women. I have noted that before Roe, 5,000 women a year died because there were very harsh…”

“It would be a disaster for women. I have noted that before Roe, 5,000 women a year died because there were very harsh laws. If Roe v. Wade was eliminated, women would not have the right to privacy in this matter. Early-stage abortion would not be between her and her doctor and her God and family, but it would be a matter for Senators to determine--and State Senators and assembly members and Governors all over this country. And a woman would risk her freedom if she had an abortion, just like we had before 1973. So affirming Roe v. Wade is the right thing to do. It has made a difference in women's lives. More than anything, I think as our country matures, we recognize that women deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. It has been a long, hard road for women in this country, I say to my friend who is such a supporter of equality across the board. Women didn't even get to vote until 1920. We had to struggle. In 1973, I remember it very well. I remember women risking their lives to get an illegal abortion. I had read a case of a woman who was raped and she was so fearful and embarrassed and ashamed, she got an illegal, botched abortion. She was sick and the doctor even threatened to call the police on her.”