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Already very restrictive, the Brazilian law on abortion is in the process of being toughened. Rape victims who wish to have an abortion will have to "tell in detail" what they suffered and prove their point.
In Brazil, the law on voluntary termination of pregnancy is very strict. Currently, abortions are only allowed in cases of rape, danger to the life of the woman, or serious congenital problems in the fetus. These exceptions were poorly accepted by the religious right and by many supporters of President Jair Bolsonaro, of the extreme right. The law is still in the process of getting tougher, after the health ministry issued new standards.
The new requirements for access to abortion, unveiled on August 28, 2020, greatly penalize victims of rape, reports AFP. "tell in detail" their assault and risk legal action if they cannot prove their story. They must have lodged a complaint to have access to the abortion. The medical staff will have the obligation to offer the woman to see the embryo or the fetus by ultrasound.
These measures were announced after protests around the abortion of a 10-year-old girl, raped by her uncle. To have an abortion, she had to travel to another region and pass through a demonstration of far-right activists. The Minister of Health had indicated her opposition to this abortion.
These shameful new conditions for abortion after rape have been strongly criticized by supporters of abortion, which they rightly refer to as a form of violence. "I have just presented a bill to block this decree, which is an obstacle for legal abortion and represents psychological violence against women"left-wing MP Jandira Feghali said on Twitter. Sixteen deputies also wrote to Michelle Bachelet, head of human rights at the UN, asking her to intervene to protect women's rights.
What is medical abortion?
Read also: Brazil: the abortion of a raped girl arouses controversy
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