Social Issues

11-Year-Old Rape Survivor Allowed To Abort Foetus

She was raped by her relative.

The stories of rape have always been disturbing to read, particularly that of little girls who were raped by a close relative, neighbour or just about any person they trusted. The Madras HC has allowed an 11-year-old girl to abort her 24-week old foetus because it is risky to her. The girl, studying in class seven, was raped by her nephew and her mother had sought to terminate her pregnancy.

Doctors have said that if the foetus isn’t removed, it puts the girl at risk. She could suffer from severe anaemia, pregnancy-induced hypertension, pre-term labour and a caesarean section at the time of delivery, reports The News Minute.

The foetus will be given for medical examination and DNA test in the criminal case registered against the survivor’s nephew. He has thus far been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and remanded to judicial custody.

For the uninitiated, The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act 1971 allows for abortion up to 20 weeks providing two doctors sign off. Beyond that, it is only possible if there is a threat to the life of the mother or severe abnormalities to the foetus but only if the courts permit. However, by the time the courts deliberate on it, the 20-week period could well pass leaving the woman with an unwanted pregnancy. Abnormalities to the foetus are normally detected after 20 weeks into the pregnancy by which time it is legally too late.