A Saga de Maria: uma análise sociológica sobre o acesso ao aborto legal no Brasil.

Abstract

Childhood pregnancy represents a social and public health problem in Brazil. Both pregnancy and childbirth have impacts on the physical and mental health of the child, as well as social effects on the trajectory of girls and their family. This scenario becomes even more delicate when we consider that, due to their age, the moment of conception may be linked to violent memories, and access to abortion becomes a primary necessity. Faced with this urgency, this text aims to conduct a sociological analysis of the ordeal faced by girls who are pregnant and victims of rape, and who, supported by some adults, fight for access to legal abortion in Brazil. On one level, it seeks to present the permissibility of abortion from a normative perspective, in order to extract the facts and values that facilitate or impede its access, influencing the gap between what is provided by law and what is experienced in society. On another level, it aims to reflect on the conflicts between the norm and the practice. The central axis of this analysis is an empirical event that occurred with a girl from Espírito Santo, which gained national attention in 2020. She had been raped by her own uncle for years, and her right to have an abortion was repeatedly denied by the Unified Health System (SUS). The situation worsened, and she had to be transferred to the state of Pernambuco, where she finally received appropriate care. This case represents a series of violations to which thousands of girls are exposed in the country, and the research question is: "What arguments can be used to justify the denial of the right to access legal abortion?" To answer this question, efforts were made to capture the discourses that emerge from common sense and scientific practice. Health professionals were interviewed, and, surprisingly, a woman who was in a state of total vulnerability and chose to exercise her right to abortion was also listened to during the research. The methodology used combines various methodological resources, including bibliographic exploration and in-depth interviews with two doctors working at the Amaury de Medeiros Integrated Health Center. Based on the results obtained, it was observed that the current battle for access to legal abortion, as well as the decriminalization of abortion, is a political and economic war for the depathologization of female bodies and the control of their reproductive system: uterus and eggs. The theme addressed is relevant as it engages with studies on gender, religion, and public policies, bringing abortion as a Sexual and Reproductive Right of women and, consequently, a measure for the consolidation of Human Rights. The study is believed to contribute to debates surrounding gender and sexuality, bringing reflections on the state's control over female bodies.