10 year old girl raped by step-father denied abortion in Paraguay

A ten-year-old girl in Paraguay who is five months pregnant after being raped by her step-father, has been denied an abortion by Paraguayan health authorities.

The abortion which could possibly save her life is not permitted by law in Paraguay even in instances of rape, incest, or malformation of the fetus. However, an exception to the law exists for cases in which  the pregnancy or birth is a risk to the mother's life.

Paraguayan health authorities on April 28 refused her mother's petition to allow the girl to terminate the pregnancy.

The girl was reportedly unaware of the pregnancy until visiting doctors last week for a growth that her mother suspected was a tumor.

The girl's step-father,Gilberto Benítez Núñez, 42 has been on the run since the discovery.

Luz Torres, president of the Paraguayan obstetricians association, recommended against the operation, arguing the risks of performing a late-term abortion. However,  some professionals support the abortion because the pregnancy could jeopardize the little girl's life.

Meanwhile, many human rights advocates are hopeful the government will change its stance.

A really dicey case.