Peru’s denial of a therapeutic abortion for an 11-year-old girl who was raped by her stepfather has sparked outcry from human rights organizations around the world. The girl, whose fictional name is Mila, was 17 weeks pregnant when she went to a hospital in Loreto seeking an abortion.
The case was brought to public attention after the United Nations Human Rights, UNAIDS, UN Women, UNFPA, and UNICEF issued a joint statement condemning the Peruvian government’s decision. The statement expressed deep concerns regarding a minor and higher risk for mortality among pregnant girls, as well as reiterated the urgency of providing safe access to legal abortion for victims of sexual violence.
This case has sparked a public debate on whether or not Peru should amend its actual law, which permits therapeutic abortion only in the cases of rape, if the pregnancy poses a risk to the life and health of the mother and if the pregnancy is the result of a crime and it has not exceeded 22 weeks.
The Peruvian Council of Ministers president, Alberto Otárola, made a statement this week in support of these laws, emphasizing that the danger to the pregnant woman must always be the determining factor in any abortion decision.
Save the Children and CHS Alternativo have urged for a modification of the laws regulating access to therapeutic abortion in order to extend it to all cases of child and adolescent pregnancy resulting from rape. This is further emphasized as since January to February, 8,381 cases of violence against children and adolescents were reported in Peru, of which 33% were cases of sexual violence and 70% of the victims were female minors.
Mila has since been transferred to Lima for evaluation of her health and for her rights to be restored. The outrage of this case has caused a wave of protests to be organized across the country, with calls for an amendment on the law, while also prompting its citizens to take a stance, and urge for an act of justice.
1 thought on “Peru Denies Therapeutic Abortion to 11-Year-Old Rape Victim, Sparking Outrage”