Abortion is only legal in Brazil in very specific circumstances. Women can only legally terminate a pregnancy in four cases: rape, incest, when the mother’s life is in danger, or — since 2012 — in cases of anencephaly, a fatal condition in which infants are born without parts of the brain or skull. Despite those restrictions, an estimated 500,000 abortions happen every year in the country, according to a 2019 estimate. And one case of legal abortion is sparking a heated debate among pro-choice and anti-abortion groups.
A 10-year-old girl from Vitória — the capital city of the southeastern state of Espírito Santo — had to go to court to be given the right to terminate a pregnancy that was the result of sexual abuse by her 33-year-old uncle. Despite obtaining legal approval, the medical staff at her Vitória hospital refused to carry out the surgery, claiming that current legislation does not permit second-trimester abortions. The 10-year-old was approximately 22 weeks pregnant.
A seemingly unambiguous case then became a nasty and public judicial struggle.
The child’s family had to take her to Recife — a city 1,800 kilometres from her home — in order to perform the procedure on Monday. As the legal comings and goings had already made it to the national media, far-right religious groups gathered outside the abortion clinic, calling the 10-year-old child a “murderer,” in the hopes of changing her mind.
The case
Upon becoming aware...
Search
