Sabrina has had several abortions, but it's her most recent that still makes her uneasy.
Sabrina isn't her real name - she agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity since abortion in her country, Brazil, is illegal, except in cases of rape, life - threatening pregnancy or a fatal brain defect in the fetus.
Previously, Sabrina went to a clandestine clinic that had been an open secret among Rio de Janeiro's middle - and upper - class women. When she needed help again in August 2014, the place had been shut down amid police crackdowns on illegal abortions. So, one afternoon, Sabrina turned to a last - resort option - she was collected from a supermarket parking lot by gang members in Rio's militia - laced peripheries and taken to a residential home.
'It was obvious that no one there was a doctor. It seemed like a trick. Like something dirty, ' said Sabrina. She still struggles to articulate the niggling feeling in the back of her mind that day, but shaking her head she added, 'It felt like a butcher shop. '
Despite the dangers, experiences like Sabrina's might soon become more common here, if Brazil passes a controversial amendment to the country's constitution that could completely outlaw abortion. The proposed amendment, known as PEC 181, was originally intended to extend maternity leave for mothers of premature newborns. It included a clause to 'protect life from conception, ' however - banning abortion altogether - which has sparked numerous protests in the country's biggest cities. Human rights groups, including several UN agencies, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch say the measure could pose significant dangers to pregnant women.
Source: PRI
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