In which Poland has one of the strictest laws on abortion, a fact that has been repeatedly pointed out by women’s rights activists
Edited by Myriam Kiassou
The case of a 14-year-old girl with a mental disability in Poland, who was raped by her uncle and was unable to obtain approval for an abortion, as this is expressly prohibited by the laws of the country, is causing worldwide sensation.
In Poland, which has one of the strictest abortion laws anywhere, even if the request to terminate a pregnancy is approved, doctors are able to block the procedures by not proceeding with the operation citing ethical issues.
This status has often been highlighted by women’s rights activists.
Specifically, abortions, according to the law, are only allowed if it is proven that the pregnancy has resulted from rape, incest or if it puts the life of the pregnant woman in danger.
However, despite the fact that in this case the 14-year-old was a rape victim, two hospitals in Podlasie, where she comes from, not only refused to provide medical services, but in addition, in violation of the law, did not even provide her with information about what she might applied to terminate the pregnancy.
The girl, who had not realized that she was pregnant, was accompanied to the hospital by her aunt, who emphasizes that the medical staff treated them with cruelty and inhumanity, despite the fact that she showed them relevant court decisions that confirmed that rape had been committed and therefore abortion is legal.
They literally told her, she says, “Not here, go away. We don’t know where. We are not interested”.
The woman eventually contacted an NGO which helped to get the young girl to Warsaw, where the abortion was eventually successfully and safely carried out.
In any case, the refusal of the Polish doctors has caused concern and global outcry.
Read the News today and get the latest news.
Follow Skai.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news.
With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
