Outraged Brazilian women stage protests against bill to equate late abortions with homicide

By ELÉONORE HUGHES and GABRIELA SÁ PESSOA

SAO PAULO (AP) — Thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets of the capital as protests sweep across Brazil in opposition to a bill that would further criminalize abortions. If passed, the law would equate the termination of a pregnancy after 22 weeks with homicide. The bill, proposed by conservative lawmakers and heading for a vote in the lower house, would also apply in cases of rape. Critics say those who seek an abortion so late are mostly child rape victims, as their pregnancies tend to be detected later. To rally opposition, rights’ groups created the ‘A child is not a mother’ campaign that has flooded social media. Placards, stickers and banners emblazoned with the slogan have abounded during demonstrations.