Peru’s constitutional commission in Congress rejected allowing a vote on a bill which would legalize abortion in cases of rape.
Six committee members from the Popular Strength, Popular Christian Party and APRA voted against allowing the vote while four committee members from the ruling Nationalist Party, Broad Front and Dignity and Democracy voted for a parliamentary debate.
“Sad day for raped women,” tweeted Nationalist Party congressman and former justice minister Fredy Otarola. “The APRA-Fujimorista alliance deprived them of the right to choose, and they cynically justify forced sterilizations.”
Popular Strength spokesman Martha Chavez said the law did not require women seeking an abortion to have filed a police report for being raped.
“If this law is approved, it would be enough just to say that someone has been a victim of rape and it’s done. You do not need to prove anything,” Chavez said. “They have deceived the people who have signed this bill because they did not tell them about the elimination of the requirement of charges against the rapist.”
Women’s minister Marcela Huaita blamed political posturing for general elections next year for the defeat of the bill.
The rejected bill also would have allowed abortion in cases of involuntary artificial insemination. Yesterday’s defeat in committee was the second time legalizing abortion in the case of rape has failed to pass Congress in Peru.
Sources
Constitución inicia debate para despenalizar aborto en casos de violación (Andina)
Archivan proyecto para despenalizar aborto en casos de violación sexual (Andina)
Ministra de la Mujer lamenta archivo de proyecto sobre aborto en caso de violación (Andina)
La despenalización del aborto en los tuits destacados (El Comercio)
