Chile's Pres Praises Pregnant 11 y/o...

[tropaka]

...for stating that she wants to keep the baby conceived from being raped by her mother's partner.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2013/ ... trage.html

SANTIAGO, CHILE—Chile’s president praised an 11-year-old girl this week for her “depth and maturity†after she said in a TV interview that she wants to give birth to the baby who was conceived when she was raped by her mother’s partner.

President Sebastian Pinera’s comments caused anger on social media in a case that has ignited a heated national debate over abortion in one of Latin America’s most socially conservative nations. Abortions, even for medical reasons and in the case of rape, have been illegal since general Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship.

Pinera’s government has opposed any easing of the ban.

“I’ve asked the health minister to personally look after the (girl’s) health,†Pinera said Tuesday. “She’s 14 weeks pregnant, and yesterday she surprised us all with words showing depth and maturity, when she said that, despite the pain caused by the man who raped her, she wanted to have and take care of her baby.â€

The girl was repeatedly raped over the course of two years by her mother’s partner, who has been arrested and has confessed to abusing the fifth grader. Her mother shocked Chileans recently when she defended him, saying his relationship was consensual. The case was brought to police by the pregnant child’s maternal grandmother in the remote southern city of Puerto Montt.

“It will be like having a doll in my arms,†the girl, whose face was obscured during the interview, told local Canal 13. “I’m going to love the baby very much, even though it comes from that man who hurt me.â€

Chile remains firmly conservative in social matters four decades after the dictatorship. Its Senate rejected three bills last year that would have eased the absolute ban on abortion.

Experts say the girl’s life is at risk and that she is not prepared to make a decision about her pregnancy.

“At that age the girl doesn’t have a capacity of discernment. Not even at age 14 would she have the mental and emotional capacity to discern this,†said Giorgio Agostini, a forensic psychologist who has worked on dozens of child sex-abuse cases.

“It’s very likely that she is saying that she wants to have the baby like a living doll. We’ve seen this in other investigations,†Agostini said. “So what the president is saying doesn’t get close to the psychological truth of an 11-year-old-girl. It’s a subjective view that is not based on any scientific reasoning to support it.â€

Former president Michelle Bachelet, the front-runner in the Nov. 17 presidential elections, favours legalizing abortion in cases of rape or risks to the health of the pregnant woman or the child.

I think this child's mother should be in jail as well.

[slickcat79]

“It will be like having a doll in my arms,†the girl, whose face was obscured during the interview, told local Canal 13. “I’m going to love the baby very much, even though it comes from that man who hurt me.â€

Oh yeah, there's some depth and maturity :roll: The poor kid "wants" to have a baby because it will be like a doll. She should still be playing with actual dolls.

[Kailash]

That is sickening. I agree that the mother should be in jail as well. That poor child.

[Hisey]

How sick that he should use a traumatized 11 year old as a political tool. Poor thing is probably just trying to please the people around her. Yes, abortion should be banned because an 11year old who have been raped wants to keep her child.

I don't know what's best for that poor child. But someone who loves her should make the decision for her. Sadly, there don't seem to be any people like that around.

[ILoveJellybeans]

Poor little girl :( She doesnt know what being a mother is like, she thinks its going to be like looking after a little doll :( This isnt something they should applaud, its so dangerous for a little girl to get pregnant. She is not a political tool, she is a child who was raped and does not understand what she wants. How disgusting of her mother to say that it was consensual-an 11 year old cant consent to sex! I hope this little girl is being cared for, and away from her parents.

This kind of thing is such an awful situation-she really wants to keep the baby, but she is not capable of making that decision for herself. It wouldnt be fair to force her to have an abortion because being pro choice is about choice-but can she make that choice? It also wouldnt be right to let her keep the baby when shes not emotionally ready, and she does not yet understand the risks of childbirth and the reality of looking after a baby.

[tropaka]

There is no choice re abortion, unfortunately, unless she gets one illegally.

[AtroposHeart]

I am going to be like the right Hound now

Fuck the Chile government

Fuck the rapist

Fuck the mother

Fuck the catholic church

Fuck conservatism

Fuck the world

[Khan]

Is it too cruel to say that I hope she loses the baby and makes a full physical recovery, or as much as her damaged spirit can handle?

[AtroposHeart]

You know if Shitstain Mary had her way with this, not only would the 11 y/o become a mommy, but she would also have to marry her rapist so they could be one big happy family!

[crazyforkate]

Holy fuck. Imagine what he'd have to say about the girl if she was doing everything possible to get an abortion. I'm sorry, but one's choice about a pregnancy is not inherently more moral than another option.

[RealityTVRN]

In my opinion, if there is a God, she will have an uncomplicated miscarriage.