Israel readies for possibility of pregnancies in female hostages raped by Hamas

When the pregnancy is a result of a terrorist who previously murdered her relatives and brutally raped her, the emotional aftermath is unimaginable, leaving lasting psychological scars.

By DR. ITAY GAL
JANUARY 14, 2024

The Israeli medical community, usually reluctant to consider such scenarios, has recently actively been preparing for the appalling possibility of several female hostages who were raped in captivity and subsequently become pregnant.

According to sources who spoke with Maariv, there have been comprehensive discussions in hospitals across the country about preparing for the return of Israeli hostages who have been sexually assaulted by Hamas terrorists and are currently at different stages of pregnancy.

Continued: https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-782096

14.01.2024

News

abortion and rape

Association of Public Health Physicians

USA – Why rape exceptions in abortion bans are more complicated in reality

Only four states with abortion bans allow the procedure due to rape.

By Mary Kekatos, Video by Jessie DiMartino
August 19, 2022

Since the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade in June, several states have enacted strict abortion bans.

At least 15 states have ceased nearly all abortion services and an additional four states have bans that have been blocked in court and are undergoing legal challenges.

Continued: https://abcnews.go.com/US/rape-exceptions-abortions-bans-complicated-reality/story?id=88237926

Ukrainian refugees reignite abortion debate in Poland

Tuesday, 19 April 2022
By Liv Klingert

The controversial debate on abortion in Poland has been reignited following the arrival of Ukrainian women refugees who have been victims of sexual violence by Russian soldiers in Ukraine.

Under current restrictive abortion laws, it is uncertain whether women who become pregnant through rape and seek refuge in Poland can still have legal and safe abortions there, De Standaard reported.

Continued: https://www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/218090/ukrainian-refugees-ignite-abortion-debate-in-poland

Ecuador legislators approve regulations allowing abortion in cases of rape

The new measure allows abortions up to 12 weeks of pregnancy for urban adult women and 16 weeks for rural minors and adults

By Alexandra Valencia
Thu 17 Feb 2022

QUITO, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Ecuador's National Assembly on Thursday approved regulations to allow women and girls access to abortions in cases of rape, amid widespread debate about the issue in the mostly conservative country.

The vote comes after the Constitutional Court gave the green light for abortion in cases of rape last April and ordered legislators to speedily regulate the procedure.

Continued: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/ecuador-legislature-approves-rules-abortion-cases-rape-2022-02-17/

18.02.2022

Paraguay’s Draconian Abortion Law Punishes Rape Survivors

Strict abortion prohibitions do not stop women and girls from having abortions; they just force them to have unsafe abortions, putting their lives and health at risk.

Tamara Taraciuk Broner, Santiago Menna – Human Rights Watch
January 5, 2022

In mid-November, a Paraguayan government hotline received a report of suspected sexual abuse against a 13-year-old Indigenous girl in a community near the border with Brazil. The case was assigned to Roselí Echeguren, a lawyer in a government office for the protection of children’s rights in Paraguay.

Echeguren told Human Rights Watch that community members had noticed that the girl had started to wear a girdle. Echeguren went to see the girl and took her to the hospital, where doctors confirmed that she was pregnant. The girl told her she had kept silent “out of fear.”

Continued: https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/01/05/paraguays-draconian-abortion-law-punishes-rape-survivors

Abortion in Mexico: Fight for rights just beginning, women say

By Will Grant, BBC Mexico correspondent
Oct 23, 2021

Few customers who get into Paulina Ramírez's taxi know her awful story. But 20 years ago, the so-called Paulina Case made headlines around the world, her name synonymous with Mexico's strict rules and attitudes on abortion.

In 1999, aged 13, Paulina was raped and was left pregnant by a man who broke into her family's home. Following the brutal attack, she sought an abortion, fully legal in Mexico in cases of rape. However, Paulina was harangued by conservative doctors, state officials and priests who put up constant obstacles to stop her from terminating the pregnancy.

Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-58900532

Ecuador Decriminalized Abortion In Rape Cases — What That Means For South America

May 20, 2021

Mary Louise Kelly
4-Minute Podcast

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with sociologist and lawyer Ana Cristina Vera about what Ecuador's recent expansion of abortion decriminalization means for reproductive rights in South America.

Transcript
MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
Now on to South America and specifically to Ecuador, where the country's highest court has eased restrictions on abortion in cases of rape.

Continued: https://www.npr.org/2021/05/20/998709225/ecuador-decriminalized-abortion-in-rape-cases-what-that-means-for-south-america

20.05.2021

criminalization of women

Ecuador court decriminalises abortion in rape cases

Ecuador's Constitutional Court decriminalises abortion in cases of rape, a major step in Catholic-majority Latin America where termination of pregnancy is largely taboo.

Apr 28, 2021

Ecuador's Constitutional Court on Wednesday decriminalised abortion in cases of rape, the country's human rights ombudsman announced, a major step in Catholic-majority Latin America where termination of pregnancy is largely taboo.

Ombudsman Freddy Carrion announced the court's decision on Twitter, and said the ruling "was possible thanks to the women and feminist groups who have consistently battled for a more fair and egalitarian society."

Continued: https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/latin-america/ecuador-court-decriminalises-abortion-in-rape-cases.phtml

28.04.2021

Featured

abortion and rape

abortion law reform

Ecuador Constitutional Court

US Catholics funded Malawi opponents of legal abortion in cases of rape

After condemning abortion reform as an imposition of “foreign cultures”, a religious group in Malawi took thousands of dollars in foreign cash

Josephine Chinele
30 March 2021

A Catholic group in Malawi used money from the US to support its campaign against a bill to allow legal abortion in cases of rape – after condemning proposed reforms as an imposition of “foreign cultures”.

The Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), a local assembly of Catholic bishops, received a $30,000 grant from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in 2019 for “pastoral animation and advocacy of members of parliament and the laity in political leadership”.

Continued: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/us-catholics-funded-malawi-opponents-legal-abortion-cases-rape/

Zimbabwe – Unsafe abortions a major public health concern

Muchaneta Chimuka
21 January 2021

Unsafe abortion cases are rife among youth
and adults in Zimbabwe owing to high medical costs, restrictive abortion laws
and lack of or inadequate youth friendly clinics that offers sexual
reproductive health services, negative attitudes by service providers towards
patients, lack of knowledge on how and where to seek services among others.

The 2020 #VoiceandChoice Barometer notes that 24 percent of all pregnancies in
Southern Africa end in abortion.

Continued: https://www.chronicle.co.zw/unsafe-abortions-a-major-public-health-concern/