A raped 10-year-old is refused an abortion in paraguay!

The girl who lives with her mother and two other siblings in a rented room was allegedly raped by the stepfather that lives with them in the city of Luque. Although the mother, who works in a school canteen, had reported that the girl was being abused by her husband in 2014, the authorities took no action. Then when the mother thought the child was suffering from a tumour due to her aches and swollen belly, she took her to the hospital only to discover that her ten year old daughter was pregnant. Her first thought was abortion. This is when authorities decided to take action, imprisoning the mother for failure of duty of care and the girl was taken to a shelter. The stepfather so far has not received charges because he is on the run, whilst his imprisoned wife is also looking at further charges of being an accomplice to the rape. 

 

In Paraguay, the law states that an abortion is only available when the mother's life is seriously at risk if she continues with the pregnancy. The young girl was raped and left pregnant by her step-father, but unless she develops serious complications with the pregnancy, she will have to give birth to the child despite pleas from the girls mother and world-wide outcry. At 22 weeks pregnant, senior medics said that there were no health risks which would allow doctors to perform an abortion and avoid breaking the strong catholic anti-abortion law that governs the country. 

 

Lida Sosa from the ministry of public health and wellness said,

“Right now, there is no reason to interrupt the pregnancy. In fact, given the stage of the pregnancy, it’s even more dangerous for the girl to undergo a procedure [to abort] without a well-considered medical, obstetrical evaluation.”

 

Human rights groups and feminist activists are outraged. They believe strongly that the girl will face psychological and health risks if she has this baby especially considering how you she is and the circumstances that resulted in the pregnancy. 

 

“When you consider the threat to life and the anatomical and psychological risks, the first step that should be taken in pregnancies of girls under the age of 13 should be an abortion. This is what the authorities fail to understand,” said Soto. “That girl is now alone … the Paraguayan state has a clear responsibility for that.”

 

She called on the authorities to establish an independent medical committee to evaluate the case free from the influence of religion.

 

Amnesty International said Paraguay’s abortion restrictions violated international law and risked the life of a child.

 

Guadalupe Marengo, Americas deputy director at Amnesty International said,

“The physical and psychological impact of forcing this young girl to continue with an unwanted pregnancy is tantamount to torture. Forcing this child to carry a baby to term, against her will, could have devastating health consequences.”

 

The Center for Reproductive Rights, an international legal advocacy group has started a petition online and is also trying to fight the governments ruling in court, whilst the World Health Organisation has also become involved in investigating the case.