New York Times Examines Abortion Procedures Among Underage Girls In Brazil

Main Category: Abortion
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health;  Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 31 Mar 2009 - 5:00 PDT

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The New York Times on Saturday examined the number of abortion procedures among underage girls in Brazil, particularly among those who have survived sexual abuse. Earlier this month, Brazilian physicians performed an abortion on a nine-year-old girl who allegedly had been raped by her stepfather and was 15 weeks pregnant with twins. Abortion is illegal in Brazil except in cases of rape or when the woman's life is in danger, both of which applied in the girl's case. Brazilian archbishop Jose Cardoso Sobrinho excommunicated the physicians who performed the abortion, as well as the girl's mother for allowing the procedure, but not the stepfather. According to the Times, the case has reinvigorated "a tense debate over reproductive rights in a country with more Catholics than any other" and has "brought to light other instances of young girls being raped and impregnated by family members."

Public health workers believe that sexual abuse among young girls is an often-neglected, widespread problem in Brazil that could be worsening. According to Brazil's Ministry of Health, the number of legal abortions performed on girls ages 10 to 14 more than doubled last year, from 22 procedures in 2007 to 49 in 2008. Perola Byington Hospital, a women's health clinic that specializes in treating victims of sexual violence, reports that nearly half of its 15 daily cases often involve children younger than age 12. In addition, of the 47 abortions the hospital performed last year, 13 involved girls younger than age 18, all of whom were rape survivors. According to physicians at the hospital, fathers or stepfathers committed the sexual abuse in more than 80% of cases. Jefferson Drezett, a gynecologist and coordinator of sexual abuse services at the hospital, said, "A part of Brazilian society still doesn't want to stop treating women like they are property. This has to change."

Although Brazil recorded 3,050 legal abortions in 2008, the health ministry estimates that about one million unsafe or clandestine abortion procedures are performed in the country every year. According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, out of all Latin American countries, only Chile, El Salvador and Nicaragua -- which all ban abortion for any reason -- have stricter abortion laws than Brazil. Although 20 years ago the country only had one abortion clinic, there now are about 55 clinics that perform abortions and about 400 that treat survivors of sexual abuse. Beatriz Galli, a policy associate and human rights lawyer with Ipas, said this is "still not enough," as many state-financed clinics are located as far as 11 hours away from people who might seek to access the procedure.

Abortion-rights opponents currently represent the majority in Brazil's Congress, and many have sought to tighten abortion restrictions. According to a study by the Feminist Center for Studies and Advisory Services, about 40 of the 50 abortion-related initiatives being studied in Congress aim to further criminalize abortion. One such initiative would require home pregnancy tests to include warnings such as, "The penalty for abortion is one to three years in prison," the Times reports (Barrionuevo, New York Times, 3/28).

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