Domestic Violence: Three Women Killed for Refusing Abortion

24-year-old Tiffany Gillespie was pregnant with her third child when she was shot to death by her boyfriend Aaron Fitzpatrick. The murder happened on February 16. The victim’s relationship with Fitzpatrick was “troubled” with previous incidents of domestic violence. The police said that Fitzpatrick killed Gillespie because she was pregnant with his child and refused to have an abortion. Gillespie was six months pregnant. The couple had been arguing for several hours when the shooting occurred.

Gillespie’s body was found in the basement of her South Philadelphia home by her mother. Fitzpatrick was taken into custody shortly afterward. He was the number one suspect, partly due to a history of domestic disputes in which the police had intervened in the past. Gillespie’s two young children were in the house at the time of her murder. Her preschool-aged daughter and eight-year-old son are now staying with relatives.

Earlier this year, in Broward County, Florida, Edward Jermaine Babbs has been convicted of two counts of murder for killing a pregnant woman and her unborn baby. The court determined that he killed Stephanie Rabsatt by shooting her in the abdomen and head on Oct.1, 2009. Rabsatt was almost 8 months pregnant with a son, who she had named Jayden. Babbs, who was the baby’s father, had been pressuring her to abort, but her refusal to have an abortion, was blamed for the murder, according to police. Babbs was sentenced to life in prison.

Also this year, a man who killed his pregnant girlfriend on her due date after she refused an abortion has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for the crime. Niasha Delain, 25, who was brutally stabbed on the very day she was to give birth to a son, took place in October of 2008. The stabbing, which was described by the prosecutor as “a crime of almost unimaginable viciousness”.

Her murderer, Derrick Reed, had been pressuring Delain to have an abortion for several months, according to her friends and family. The baby, who could easily have survived outside the womb, was to have been named Aidan by his mother. Delain’s mother, Towanda Wimms, believes it should be a crime to take the life of an unborn child during the commission of a homicide and has urged law makers to change the law.

Although abortion is claimed to be a woman’s choice, men often put pressure on their partners to abort when they don’t want to pay child support for their baby. When the pregnant mother refuses, the worst kind of domestic violence can result. In fact, murder is the number one cause of death among pregnant women and many times, the father of the baby is the perpetrator.

In my own case of domestic violence, my husband would sometimes kick at my pregnant stomach, though he never actually touched me when he did this. But this intimidation tactic was almost unbearable at times. It’s only by the grace of God that I had eight beautiful and healthy children. It very easily could have gone the other way. And yes, I am very pro-life as a result! Children are the heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his reward! Psalm 127:3

Don’t Be Silent: Stop Domestic Violence

One out of Three Women Experience Domestic Violence (gofishministries.wordpress.com)
He beat you and said, “I’m sorry, let’s try it again -You said, “OK”. WHY? (youneedtowriteabook.com)
Evidentiary Abuse Affidavit for Domestic Violence Victims (gofishministries.wordpress.com)

About mamaheartfilled

I am a mother of eight wonderfully challenging children and fourteen grandkids, of whom I am very proud. I am also a bi-vocational ordained evangelical minister, and a Christian Counselor. I received my B.S. degree in 2004, studying primarily in the areas of Psychology, with minors in Religion and English. I received my Masters Degree in 2009 in Psychological Counseling with an emphasis in Christian Counseling. I have endeavored to paraphrase the Bible, both Old and New Testaments. It is my hope that it will be of some use in the great commission of Christ. My ministry is primarily geared toward victims of sexual and domestic violence, including victims of childhood sexual abuse, whether currently or in the past. Since I have personally experienced the healing hand of God in overcoming many of the life issues that Christians may face, I feel qualified and compelled to discuss them in a truthful and open manner, as God’s word tells us that “We shall know the truth and the truth shall set us free.” God has brought me through such diverse tribulations as sexual, physical, and mental abuse, being a victim of a drunk driving accident, spousal pornography addiction, adultery, divorce, remarriage, a very brief, though unjust, incarceration, and having experienced multiple miscarriages and various other trials. I have been asked to leave two Southern Baptist Churches, due to my being a female, ordained as a minister, and fired from a SBC sponsored Christian School (mostly white) for speaking out against racial prejudice in the Family of God. Through God’s merciful forgiveness of my own sins and inadequacies and God’s grace given to me to forgive those who have been a stumbling block to me, I have overcome many of these adversities. God’s word tells us that “All things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to the purposes of God." Since I have this hope, I believe that God has blessed me with the ability to confront and relate these issues to the Christian community around the world. I hope to be able to use my personal experiences as a ministry of God’s grace and in the comforting of the people of God with the truth of God's mercy. I claim II Corinthians 1: 3 & 4 as my calling, which states: “Blessed be God, the Origin of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Origin of mercies, and the God of comfort; who comforts us in all our troubles, that we may be able to comfort those who are in trouble, by the comfort we ourselves have been given by God.” As I have received the gift of God’s healing, I hope to be able to bring the peace beyond understanding to others with the message of God’s mercy and grace. My love for the Sovereign Lord of my life, Jesus Christ, along with my passion for writing has drawn me to explore these commonly experienced crisis issues from the perspective of my own experience in the hope that I may bring an empathetic and compassionate insight to God’s people. I am now a published author and have several books in publication, including my autobiography, "A Little Redneck Theology." The views expressed in my writings are strictly my own insights, acquired from personal experience and diligent study of the related topics and God’s word concerning them. Though I am an ordained minister, my views should not be considered authoritative. I believe that the Christian community’s ultimate authority is the guidance of the human heart by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.

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