By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist A new study by a leading researcher on the after-affects of abortion found that the U.S. is experiencing an epidemic of forced abortions. LifeNews.com is reporting that the study, conducted by the Elliot Institute, points to what has become a "widespread epidemic of unwanted, coerced and forced abortions taking place in the United States." The report found that 64 percent of women who had abortions said they felt pressured by others to abort, and 80 percent said they did not receive the counseling they needed, even though more than half said they felt rushed or uncertain. Too often, the pressure is coming from husbands and boyfriends who don’t want a child, with some resorting to violence and even murder if the woman refuses to abort. As a result, homicide is now the leading cause of death of pregnant women in the U.S. "Our files contain hundreds of stories from women and girls who were attacked or killed with the intent of getting rid of the pregnancy," said Elliot Institute spokesperson Amy Sobie to LifeNews. Some of the stories included in the report are that of a high school junior who was beaten to death by her 22 year-old boyfriend after she refused to have an abortion. Two Ohio teens were convicted of kidnapping and assaulting a pregnant girl which cost the life of her eight month-old child. Another case involved a Kansas man who was convicted of sexual abuse after the man raped his stepdaughters over a several year period, resulting in four pregnancies and at least one abortion, performed on an 11-year-old. The abortion business did not inform police of the suspected abuse. There has also been an increase in the number of cases of women being secretly drugged with abortifacients such as emergency contraception and RU486, a dangerous abortion-inducing drug that carries a high risk of hemorrhage, infection and even death of the mother.  "In our opinion, the availability of abortion makes it easier for those around her to think that she shouldn't be having this baby, and gives those with an interest in getting rid of the unborn child a justification for doing so," Sobie said. Other new cases included in the study involve pregnancy discrimination by employers, schools and others that can make women feel they have no choice but to abort. "Pressure may also come from bosses, school counselors and others who see a pregnancy as a threat to the woman's ability to do her job or continue her education," Sobie said. "The EEOC has reported an increase in the number of pregnancy discrimination complaints filed against employers, and a number of large companies have settled or are facing lawsuits over claims they fired or demoted female workers who became pregnant." Elliot Institute director Dr. David Reardon said that cases of women being pressured, threatened, or subjected to violence if they refuse to abort are not unusual. "Even if a woman isn't physically threatened, she often faces intense pressure, abandonment, lack of support, or emotional blackmail if she doesn't abort,” he said. “While abortion is often described as a 'choice,' women who've been there tell a very different story." The study underscores the need for more legislation that can protect women from this kind of coercion, he said. "Too often, abortion clinics and others simply assume that if a woman is coming for an abortion, it is her free choice," he said. "This 'no questions asked' policy is especially harmful to those in abusive situations, including young girls who are victims of sexual predators. Women should not be forced into unwanted abortions and subjected to violence or pressure from others." © All Rights Reserved, Living His Life Abundantly®/Women of Grace®  http://www.womenofgrace.com