Abortion in Brazil: a legislative path towards its (de)criminalization

Abstract

This work provides an analysis of the trajectory of abortion laws in Brazil, focusing on the main controversies that have arisen within the National Congress. In the 2000s we may observe a rise in the number of legislative proposals aiming at making abortion laws stricter and at creating new abortion-related crimes. Such tendencies are putting a strain on women’s rights. As far as Brazil is concerned, the public discussion on abortion involves several actors: feminist groups, religious institutions, professionals. Changes have been involving the religious exponents of the National Congress, and there has also been an increase in the number of Evangelical members within it. This has a lot to do with the power of religious groups on legislative processes and with the – unconstitutional – interference of the Christian hegemony in the structure of the State. Furthermore, Brazilian religious faiths show no unitary approach to the topic of abortion; the Catholic Church remains the only institution that clearly condemns every kind of abortive practices. By claiming the right to life and by neglecting the right to abortion, each year the Brazilian law lets occur thousands of deaths due to unsafe abortion: religious principles lord it over the laity of the State. Nevertheless, being in favor of life would mean struggling for the reduction in the number of abortions and illegal abortion-related deaths. To discuss such a relevant topic, it would be necessary to debunk the false myths that have been historically created.