El aborto, sin duda alguna, ha sido desde siempre un tema importante en la opinión pública estadounidense. Un estudio reciente, llevado a cabo por Gallup Inc. entre el 7 y 13 de mayo del presente año, y publicado dos días después, muestra cambios sustanciales en la opinión de la sociedad de este país.

 

 

 

 Desde 1995 la agencia ha sondeado la opinión pública, y durante 14 años consecutivos los vecinos del norte demostraron gran empatía por el aborto; en promedio el 56 por ciento se declaraba a favor y el 33 por ciento en contra. Sin embargo, los datos arrojados durante este mes indican que el 51 por ciento de los ciudadanos están a favor de la vida, mientras que el 42 por ciento están de acuerdo con el aborto.

 

 

 
Durante mayo de 2008, los habitantes estadounidenses se definían completamente favorables al aborto en un 28 por ciento, el 40 por ciento exigía su legalidad bajo ciertas circunstancias, y únicamente el 17 por ciento lo consideraba ilegítimo. Durante el sondeo actual, el 22 por ciento se pronunció totalmente a favor, el 37 por ciento considera su legalidad en algunas ocasiones y el 23 por ciento cree que definitivamente debe ser prohibido.

 

 

Por su parte, la tendencia en las mujeres después de nueve años ha cambiado. A partir de 2001 la mujer estadounidense estaba a favor del aborto, pero en el presente año la tendencia cambió, invirtiéndose los papeles, ya que el 49 por ciento se considera a favor de la vida en contra de 44 por ciento que no lo está.

 

En lo que respecta a los hombres, la agencia Gallup Inc. ha visto una tendencia muy similar. En la presente encuesta el 54 por ciento se manifiesta a favor de la vida en comparación con el 35 por ciento a favor del aborto.

Estos cambios en la opinión de la sociedad estadounidense sientan un precedente mundial en el tema del aborto, y obligan a la reflexión en países como el nuestro, pues a lo largo de la historia hemos seguido, en esta materia, la tendencia de la nación vecina.

 

 

Es imprescindible preguntarnos: ¿por qué una sociedad tan ampliamente liberal, después de 14 años, gira hacia otro rumbo?
Nota metodológica:

 

 

El estudio fue realizado vía telefónica por mil 15 adultos de nacionalidad estadounidense. El nivel de confianza es del 95 por ciento con un margen de error de muestreo de ± 3 por ciento.

 

 

May 15, 2009

 

More Americans “Pro-Life” Than “Pro-Choice” for First Time
Also, fewer think abortion should be legal “under any circumstances”
by Lydia Saad

 

 

PRINCETON, NJ -- A new Gallup Poll, conducted May 7-10, finds 51% of Americans calling themselves "pro-life" on the issue of abortion and 42% "pro-choice." This is the first time a majority of U.S. adults have identified themselves as pro-life since Gallup began asking this question in 1995.

 

 

The new results, obtained from Gallup's annual Values and Beliefs survey, represent a significant shift from a year ago, when 50% were pro-choice and 44% pro-life. Prior to now, the highest percentage identifying as pro-life was 46%, in both August 2001 and May 2002.

 

 

The May 2009 survey documents comparable changes in public views about the legality of abortion. In answer to a question providing three options for the extent to which abortion should be legal, about as many Americans now say the procedure should be illegal in all circumstances (23%) as say it should be legal under any circumstances (22%). This contrasts with the last four years, when Gallup found a strong tilt of public attitudes in favor of unrestricted abortion.

 

 

Gallup also found public preferences for the extreme views on abortion about even -- as they are today -- in 2005 and 2002, as well as during much of the first decade of polling on this question from 1975 to 1985. Still, the dominant position on this question remains the middle option, as it has continuously since 1975: 53% currently say abortion should be legal only under certain circumstances.

 

 

When the views of this middle group are probed further -- asking these respondents whether they believe abortion should be legal in most or only a few circumstances -- Gallup finds the following breakdown in opinion.

 

 

Americans' recent shift toward the pro-life position is confirmed in two other surveys. The same three abortion questions asked on the Gallup Values and Beliefs survey were included in Gallup Poll Daily tracking from May 12-13, with nearly identical results, including a 50% to 43% pro-life versus pro-choice split on the self-identification question.

 

 

Additionally, a recent national survey by the Pew Research Center recorded an eight percentage-point decline since last August in those saying abortion should be legal in all or most cases, from 54% to 46%. The percentage saying abortion should be legal in only a few or no cases increased from 41% to 44% over the same period. As a result, support for the two broad positions is now about even, sharply different from most polling on this question since 1995, when the majority has typically favored legality.

Republicans Move to the Right

The source of the shift in abortion views is clear in the Gallup Values and Beliefs survey. The percentage of Republicans (including independents who lean Republican) calling themselves "pro-life" rose by 10 points over the past year, from 60% to 70%, while there has been essentially no change in the views of Democrats and Democratic leaners.

 

 

 

Similarly, by ideology, all of the increase in pro-life sentiment is seen among self-identified conservatives and moderates; the abortion views of political liberals have not changed.

 

 

"Pro-Life" Up Among Catholics and Protestants

One of the more prominent news stories touching on the abortion issue in recent months involves President Barack Obama's commencement speech and the bestowal of an honorary doctorate degree on him at the University of Notre Dame -- a Roman Catholic institution -- on Sunday. The invitation has drawn criticism from conservative Catholics and the church hierarchy because of Obama's policies in favor of legalizing and funding abortion, and the controversy might have been expected to strengthen the pro-life leanings of rank-and-file Catholics.

 

 

Nevertheless, the swelling of the pro-life position since last year is seen across Christian religious affiliations, including an eight-point gain among Protestants and a seven-point gain among Catholics.

Gender Agreement

A year ago, Gallup found more women calling themselves pro-choice than pro-life, by 50% to 43%, while men were more closely divided: 49% pro-choice, 46% pro-life. Now, because of heightened pro-life sentiment among both groups, women as well as men are more likely to be pro-life.

Men and women have been evenly divided on the issue in previous years; however, this is the first time in nine years of Gallup Values surveys that significantly more men and women are pro-life than pro-choice.