O DIREITO DE DECISÃO E DE SAÚDE DAS MULHERES EM SITUAÇÃO DE VIOLÊNCIA SEXUAL NO MARANHÃO: O aborto legal em pauta

Abstract

This research, entitled "Women's Right to Decision and Health in Situations of Sexual Violence in Maranhão: Legal Abortion Under Discussion," aimed to analyze the right to legal abortion in contemporary times in cases of sexual violence, based on the actual care provided at the University Hospital of UFMA between 2019 and 2022. It is an exploratory, qualitative-based study that employed dialectical and historical materialism as its method of analysis, in an effort to grasp the movement of the research object in its multiple determinations. The methodological procedures included a literature review, documentary research, and field research, based on the analysis of medical records of the women who received care. The data collected were analyzed and interpreted through the theoretical framework developed throughout the investigation process. The findings indicate that, although important progress has been made, it remains far from sufficient given the magnitude of the issue. Clandestine abortion continues to pose a significant risk to women's lives and is among the five leading causes of maternal death. Factors such as the scarcity of specialized services, lack of public awareness of the right, professional resistance, and excessive bureaucracy hinder access to proper care. Ensuring the right to legal abortion strengthens women's autonomy and decision-making power, offering a sense of relief in the face of the forced continuation of pregnancy. It is essential to recognize abortion as a human right and to understand that its decriminalization and legalization are inherent to the condition of human dignity.