Rape victims as criminals

"Ecuador's criminal code prohibits abortion with few exceptions, imposing prison terms ranging from one to five years for women and girls who receive abortions. Medical professionals who provide them are subject to harsher penalties. Even abortion after rape is punishable under the criminal code, except in the case of so-called "idiot or demented" women. These penalties drive some women and girls to have illegal and unsafe abortions, thwarting Ecuador's efforts to reduce maternal mortality and injury. Rape Victims as Criminals: Illegal Abortion after Rape in Ecuador documents how Ecuador's restrictive abortion laws impede health care and post-rape services, and can put the health and even the lives of rape victims in danger. The report is based on interviews with 37 women and girls who had sought reproductive health care, including care after gender-based violence, 22 officials and women's rights experts, and 45 medical professionals working in public and private health facilities. As part of its imminent work on reform of the criminal code, Ecuador's National Assembly should eliminate penalties for voluntary abortions and ensure that all women and girls who have been victims of rape can get comprehensive health services, including abortion if requested. President Rafael Correa should endorse any legislation proposed by the Assembly that would expand the rights of women and girls in Ecuador to access and exercise their reproductive rights and protect their health and well-being."--Page 4 of Cover.