Is it compassionate to prosecute women for having abortions?

Yes. However, in order understand this, we must understand the nature of that goal, and the foundation of it. We must begin, therefore, with what God has said.

Exodus 20:13 clearly states, "You shall not murder." God Himself had already given the punishment for murder, namely, the death penalty, in Genesis 9:6, and Romans 13:3-4 makes especially clear that this is not only appropriate, but the undeniable responsibility of the governing authorities. The answer to the question above is illuminated, when we begin with the foundational question: "Is God, who instituted the death penalty for all murderers, a compassionate God?" The answer to this question is most certainly that He is, and the whole of His law, therefore, is in keeping with His character. 

That said, there are four more ways in which we, even by human reasoning, based in Scripture, can see how it is that it will be compassionate to prosecute women for having abortions.

First, it is compassionate toward the children who are being aborted (murdered). Simply put, protecting the innocent and enacting justice on their behalf is always compassionate. This ought not be controversial, but we live in a country that disregards children altogether and cares nothing for their well-being. Indeed, those who would not protect children from being killed in the womb are the ones who have no compassion (Proverbs 12:10).

Second, it is compassionate toward the women who are tempted to murder their preborn child. The accusation that we who believe in abolition receive is that we actively desire to see women punished. To the contrary, we desire to see women stop earning earthly consequences for that choice, and more importantly, the punishment of God (Revelation 21:8). We desire to abolish and criminalize abortion not so that we can punish the women, but so that they will stop having abortions. This is the only compassionate outcome that we can desire for them, because while abortion is harmful physically for the children, it is eternally (and even temporarily) harmful for the women murdering them. We desire, then, that those women who might otherwise destroy themselves by making themselves murderers, would not do so, and would not in so doing earn for themselves greater judgment from God and man. This would certainly be the inevitable effect of abolition.

On this note, for the sake of clarification, this applies to men and women. The accusation that we receive is that we are focused solely upon punishing women, but our desire is not to criminalize women, but to criminalize the act of abortion, and in turn, to prosecute all those that murder or participate in murder in that way, including and especially murderous fathers.

Third, it is compassionate toward women who would still abort their children, even with the knowledge of the punishment. This is because ultimately, abortion is not against the child, but against God (Psalm 51:4), and the women who murder their children need to be confronted with that reality. Facing the punishment due to a murderer is an opportunity for these women to recognize who they are--sinners in need of a savior--and it's an opportunity for us to proclaim to them again the gospel of forgiveness, which only makes sense to someone who has seen they have done wrong.

Fourth, it is compassionate toward the whole of our country, being that we are a blood-guilty nation under the judgement of God. We desire to repent as a nation (Psalm 106:6, 38), that we not perish for our wickedness. It will not be well with us if we continue to commit this most horrific genocide.