GOP Missouri State Sen. Rick Brattin compares abortion to slavery while rejecting exceptions for rape or incest.

While advocating against amending the state’s strict abortion law to allow exceptions for rape and incest on Wednesday, Republican Missouri State Sen. Rick Brattin compared abortion to slavery and argued that giving birth could help women recover from rape or incest.

“Just like the 13th and the 14th Amendment — we’re celebrating Black history because of the atrocity that was done upon African Americans in this nation with slavery. There was never an exception to what is a good form of slavery and what isn’t … It’s the same situation with this,” Brattin said.

“If you want to go after the rapist, let’s give him the death penalty. Absolutely, let’s do it,” Brattin continued. “But not the innocent person caught in between that, by God’s grace, may even be the greatest healing agent you need in which to recover from such an atrocity.”

The Missouri Senate ultimately voted against amending the law. The state banned almost all abortions after the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 overturned Roe v. Wade. Abortions currently are only legal “in cases of medical emergency.”