Does abortion hurt men as fathers? Isn't he just a bystander? He is not the one who carries the child, not the one who aborts &

The following information provided by Care Net

Why Are Men Affected by Post-Abortion Stress (PAS)?

Men who have fathered children who were aborted commonly experience post-Abortion Stress. Throughout the process of denial, some men block the natural process of grieving and dealing with the death of their unborn children.

Who Are These Hurting Men?
Abortion not only affects the father of the baby, but also the grandfather, the siblings and other relatives. Men who marry women who have had abortions are also affected by their wives’ pain, even if they did not father the aborted children.

Why Do Men Need Help?
It is always healthy for men who have been affected by an abortion to grieve the loss of their children and to find closure and healing from the wounds that are frequently unidentified as related to the abortion.

As many as 44 million abortions have taken place in America since January 22, 1973, when the U.S. Supreme Court issued the ruling that legalized abortion on demand.

Abortion has affected millions of men and women in many different ways. Forgiveness and healing are available to these men and women in their relationships to God and their families. They can experience restoration and strengthening in their true marital and parental identities.
It is possible for men to be released from the harmful consequences of a past abortion(s).

How Does Abortion Hurt Men?

• Abortion violates a man s true heart for sacrifice, commitment, protection and provision.
• Abortion is a conscious decision that significantly alters our value for life. It is a statement of severe rejection. While viewed as a solution to a problem pregnancy,” the costs are high, with the immediate cost being our failure to uphold life.
• The guilt and fear from an abortion can erode a man's ability to trust women and authority.
• Abortion may result in anger, anxiety and errors in judgments. This can cause failures in present and future relationships with women, children and others, and may diminish one's capacity as a father, a husband and a man.
• Many men struggle with addictions such as, drugs, alcohol, sexual addictions, workaholic, etc.

One Man's Story

I was preparing to graduate from high school. I was like any other senior, full of expectations and looking forward to a great summer. Then my girlfriend told me she was pregnant. We both agreed that an abortion would be the best course to take because I felt we had other things to worry about and believed we were too you to be parents.

After the abortion, I felt a sense of relief, but that relief soon turned to feelings of disappointment and loss, and finally to a feeling of deep anger toward myself, my girlfriend and everyone involved in the decision.

Now, through a group of godly men and a Bible study designed to assist my recovery, I have found forgiveness, healing and an inner peace that comes from knowing God still loves me. I can finally stop beating myself and become a blessing (rather than a burden) to others.

How can these conflicts of his heart be resolved?

Healing A Father’'s Heart classes provide spiritual and emotional support, encouragement, and education. They are not designed as a substitute for professional counseling.