MISSOURI - In a story making national headlines, Congressman Todd Akin is coming under fire for claiming, in his words, "legitimate rape" rarely results in pregnancy.

"If it's a legitimate rape the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down. But let's assume that didn't work. I think there should be some punishment. But the punishment ought to be on the rapist and not attacking the child," said Akin.

The republican released a statement saying he misspoke when he made that "off-the-cuff" comment in an interview with KTVI.

"...It's clear that I misspoke in this interview and it does not reflect the deep empathy I hold for the thousands of women who are raped and abused every year," he said in a statement.

Akin will face incumbent Senator Claire McCaskill in November's general election.

McCaskill released a statement Sunday about Akin's comments, saying "It is beyond comprehension that someone can be so ignorant about the emotional and physical trauma brought on by rape. The ideas that Todd Akin has expressed about the serious crime of rape and the impact on its victims are offensive."

Researchers found in a 1996 study that about 32,000 pregnancies result from rape each year in the US.