The Rapists' PEC and the naturalization of pedophilia in Brazil

[Artaxerxes II]

https://correiodoestado.com.br/opiniao/ ... il/440106/

In an affront to public opinion, the Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ) of the Chamber of Deputies in Brasília (DF) approved a proposed amendment to the Constitution (PEC) that prohibits abortion in Brazil even in cases provided for by law, such as rape, for example. This project – which received the nickname of the Rapists' PEC, not without reason – eliminates any vestige of freedom of choice for girls and women in our country to become mothers when they are victims of abusers/aggressors.

Although there is no consensus on this topic in our society, nor are there any new facts that justify the return of the discussion of this infamous subject, after widespread popular rejection of the initiative, the fact is that the issue at hand is more serious and grave than it appears to be.

The fact is that, today, legal abortion is permitted in cases of rape, when the life of the pregnant woman is at risk, as well as when anencephaly of the fetus is confirmed. With the proposal under discussion – if it goes ahead and becomes constitutional law, Brazil runs the risk of becoming like nations such as Honduras, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, which include the prohibition of abortion from conception in their constitutions.

The numbers of this type of crime in our country are staggering. In 2023 alone, Brazil recorded one rape every six minutes, totaling 83,898 cases between rape and rape of vulnerable people, according to the Brazilian Public Security Yearbook.

It is striking that 76% of these occurrences correspond to rape of vulnerable people, that is, when there is sexual intercourse or another lewd act with minors under 14 years of age, children or those incapable of consenting to sex, whether due to disability, lack of understanding or illness.

If the initiative already endorsed by the CCJ is approved, we will see another form of violence undeniably become commonplace in Brazil: pedophilia. With negative and repugnant behavior, the rapist/aggressor, a pedophile, will also start calling himself a “father” and, thus, playing a role that is socially approved in our environment – ​​including, guided by the rights and duties arising from the power of the family institution.

And no less important: forcing victims of rape or those who find themselves in a life-threatening situation to become mothers leads to the revictimization of girls and women. Furthermore, forcing them to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term has serious and often irreversible psychological impacts. This includes additional trauma from the crime committed, stigmatization and difficulties in social integration.

It should also be considered that the criminalization of abortion in cases of rape may increase the likelihood of clandestine procedures being performed, resulting in serious medical complications and even death.

In short: Brazil does not need to punish victims, but rather develop effective public policies for prevention, support, and de-victimization, as provided for in the Victims' Statute (Bill No. 3,890/2020). The text has been stalled in the National Congress since May 2023, due to a lack of willingness on the part of politicians to embrace, discuss, and approve the issue.

It is no longer possible to claim ignorance and lack of knowledge regarding the harmful effects of the Rapists' PEC – synonymous with regression, a legal absurdity, and unconstitutionality, since it is divorced from what is provided for in our Constitution.

In fact, Brazil is a signatory to several international treaties protecting women's reproductive rights. Therefore, any attempt to criminalize legal abortions would be a true decline in terms of fundamental human rights and the dignity of women and girls in our country.