Abortion Refused to a Raped 14-year-old

A 14-year-old girl who had been raped was admitted to a hospital in Warsaw to terminate the pregnancy. However, a priest and activists of pro-life movements followed her every step. They have made the accusation of coercing a minor to have an abortion, the prosecution is investigating the case. And the procedure has not taken place.

14-year-old Agata is entitled to a legal abortion, because her pregnancy results from rape. The Lublin Prosecution has confirmed this.

Neither the girl, nor her mother want to talk to the  media. But the Federation for Women and Family Planning is in touch with them. We know from activists of this organization that the girl had, at first, wanted to have the abortion in Lublin, where she resides. However, two hospitals refused to perform the procedure. A priest suddenly appeared in one of them during a conversation between the girl’s mother and the hospital director. The priest began trying to convince the 14-year-old that she should give birth.

Since that time priests, women and psychologists from anti-abortion organizations have been constantly bothering the girl. Therefore, Agata’s mother asked the Federation for help in finding a hospital, where the procedure could be performed. It was supposed to take place this week in the hospital on Inflancka Street in Warsaw. The girl arrived on Wednesday morning. According to representatives of the Federation, a priest from Lublin and female pro-life activists showed up at the hospital on the following day.

I don’t know how the priest found out about a private procedure taking place in Warsaw – Wanda Nowicka, president of the Federation, wonders.- Obviously, confidentiality of medical records and the patient’s right to privacy have been violated.

According to reports provided by hospital employees, all hell broke loose when abortion opponents appeared at the hospital. – It was a horror – an employee says. They attacked her. In addition to the priest, there were journalists from Radio Maryja or Trwam Television. And the women from the anti-abortion organizations occupied the office. If we went on with the procedure, the “mohair berets” [translator’s note: conservative and older female supporters of Radio Maryja] would have devoured us.

The managers of the hospital confirm that the patient was admitted, but the procedure never took place. They do not want to comment on what has happened.

We have received an official fax from the court stating that the procedure could not be carried out, that is why the patient has been discharged – says Janusz Siemaszko, director of the hospital on Inflancka Street. What official fax?

The management does not want to show it to anyone, claiming the confidentiality of medical records. We have managed to find out unofficially that they are reffering to an order of the family court about placing the minor in an emergency foster care center while the case concerning depriving the mother of parental rights is in progress.

-They want to take away my daughter and take away my parental rights – Agata’s mother told us.

She also added that priest Krzysztof Podstawka from Lublin knew more. However, the priest did not want to talk to us.

Agata was discharged from hospital on Thursday. When she exited the hospital with her mother, women from pro-life organizations followed her – activists from the Federation say. The mother flagged a police patrol car. The police took them to a police station in the Srodmiescie District of Warsaw. But the pro-life activists made it there as well.

Meanwhile, notification of a crime having been committed, the coercing of a minor to undergo an abortion, was submitted at a police station in the district of Mokotów in Warsaw. It was submitted by a representative of the Polish Federation of Pro-Life Movements.

The same organization is trying to amend the current law on family planning and cross out the stipulation which allows the termination of pregnancy when it results from rape or when there is a high probability of fetal deformity or of an incurable disease. Terminating the pregnancy would then be allowed only in order to save the mother’s life.

Pro-life activists did not leave Agata and her mother alone even at the police station.

- Several female abortion opponents and two priests occupied the police station during the interrogation – confirms police officer Marcin Szyndler, press aide of the chief of Warsaw police.

After the interrogation, the women were taken to Lublin in a police car. It was already night-time. Agata is now staying at the emergency foster care center in Lublin. I saw her sitting on a bunk bed with her mother and an employee of the center. The director claims she is in good condition.

The procedure connected with the suspicion of the crime of coercing a minor to undergo and abortion is being carried out by the Warsaw Srodmiescie-Polnoc Prosecution. – Witnesses are being interrogated now – says Agnieszka Muł, the chief of the prosecution.

The girl and her mother feel they have been attacked – says Wanda Nowicka. She emphasizes that problems with carrying out legal abortions are common in Poland, but that this is the first time she has witnessed such intense persecution.

The girl has been receiving text messages from pro-life activists convincing her to give birth. They are brainwashing her. I think she is only in contact with psychologists representing pro-family organizations. How is she supposed to make a conscious decision? – Nowicka asks.

In Poland a woman can have a legal abortion, for example when her pregnancy results from rape and when the pregnancy is no further advanced than 12 weeks from conception. Agata is currently 10 or 11 weeks pregnant. Proof of rape is not sufficient for the abortion to be carried out, the victim must express written consent. In case of minors, consent of the legal guardian is a requirement/

Agnieszka Pochrzęst

Cooperation: Małgorzata Szlachetka, Lublin

 
The name of the hero of the article has been changed.

Source: Gazeta Wyborcza , 7.06.2008

Translation: Justyna Włodarczyk