Thousands of women took to the streets in Brazil to protest against a bill in the conservative Congress that would equate abortions after 22 weeks of pregnancy to homicide, potentially resulting in sentences of six to 20 years in prison.
The demonstrators, marching along Sao Paulo’s main Paulista Avenue, carried banners rejecting the proposal, which they consider the most repressive approach to women’s reproductive rights in decades.
People of all ages, including retirees and children, joined the protest, chanting slogans like “A child is not a mother, a rapist is not a father.”
Abortion is currently permitted in Brazil only in cases of rape, fetal deformation, or when the mother’s life is in danger. However, if the bill supported by evangelical lawmakers is enacted, abortions by rape victims would be considered homicide after 22 weeks of gestation.
Feminist groups have criticized the proposed legislation for imposing harsher penalties on abortion than those given to rapists in Brazil.
They also argue that the changes would disproportionately affect children abused by family members, as they often discover their pregnancies late and lack the understanding or support to recognize themselves as victims of crime.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a leftist, condemned the bill as “insane” and pledged to defend the current laws that punish rapists and support their victims.
“It is insane to want to punish a woman with a greater penalty than the criminal who committed the rape,” Lula said at a news conference at the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Italy.
Protests erupted in Brazil’s major cities after the lower chamber of Congress voted to fast-track a bill that would equate abortions after 22 weeks of pregnancy to homicide, sparking widespread criticism and concern.
The bill’s author, Sostenes Cavalcante, an evangelical pastor and member of former President Jair Bolsonaro’s party, faced backlash over fears that rape victims seeking abortions could face harsher punishment than rapists themselves.
In response to the criticism, Cavalcante announced plans to propose harsher sentences for rape, which currently carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail.
The bill’s progression may face hurdles amid the public outcry, with Speaker Arthur Lira reportedly delaying a vote on the proposal and expecting revisions to its text.
Passage in the upper chamber, where right-wing senators have less influence, is also uncertain, as Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco has emphasized the need for thorough committee debates.
Even Brazil’s First Lady, Rosangela da Silva, expressed opposition to the bill, advocating instead for access to legal and safe abortions through the national health system. Brazil’s restrictive abortion laws often compel women to seek unsafe, illegal procedures, resulting in numerous deaths each year.
The bill’s advancement and potential impact on women’s reproductive rights continue to generate debate and controversy across Brazil, highlighting deep divisions within the country’s political and social landscape.
