A Father, a Daughter, and a Murderer

Many times unethical acts lead to criminal behavior. There have been many cases where immoral acts of adultery or sexual assault have resulted in pregnancy, causing the offender to commit violence against their victim in a desperate attempt to conceal their crime - whether it's murder, abuse or even forced abortion. But a recent story out of Jordan about a teenage girl who was murdered by her father really shook me to the core.

When this 46-year-old man who had been raping his 19-year-old daughter for the past five years discovered she was pregnant with his child, he used a carpet cutter to remove the fetus before throwing it in the garbage. He then attempted to stitch his daughter's wound with thread, but could not stop the bleeding, and she later died from her injuries. The report says the teen was five months pregnant. If that is indeed true, you might be talking about a fetus that if under any other circumstances had to be delivered prematurely for medical reasons, would have a 40 percent chance of survival with the proper care.

I can only imagine the agony that this 19-year-old girl felt when she and her unborn child were being brutally murdered by her own father. His act of desperation to cover up his own wrongdoing could only have had one outcome - death. Surgically extracting a 5-month-old fetus is one of the most dangerous procedures anyone can be exposed to. But just as upsetting is the fact that allegedly, the victim's mother knew her husband was raping their daughter, but kept quiet because he had threatened to kill her and their children.

This tragic case should serve as a reminder to everyone that spousal abuse is intolerable. Had this mother opened her mouth, the lives of her daughter and grandchild - no matter how disturbing the situation under which the child was conceived - may have gotten the help they needed and still be alive. We as a society have to do a better job in protecting the rights of women and children from deviant animals like this man.

Statistics show that 93 percent of juvenile sexual assault cases are perpetrated by someone the child knows, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN). Here in the U.S., we are fortunate enough to have support groups and resources like RAINN for these victims if they choose to seek help.

And while many victims may be in denial, there are certain signs that you can look out for when dealing with incest and sexual abuse.

According to RAINN, some of the signs to look out for include: . Depression . Eating disorders . Sleep disturbances . Withdrawal from family, friends, or usual activities . Anxiety . Low self-esteem . Hostility or aggression . Drug or alcohol addiction . Sexual activity or pregnancy at an early age; promiscuity . Suicide attempts