A rape victim is facing 20 years behind bars in an El Salvador jail for attempted murder after giving birth to her attacker's baby in a toilet.
Imelda Cortez, 20, has been in custody since April 2017 after giving birth to a baby girl fathered by her abusive elderly stepfather. She stands accused of trying to abort the pregnancy. Her trial begins today and there has been international condemnation of the decision to prosecute, with a lawyer calling this the 'most extreme, scandalous injustice against a woman I've ever seen'.
Imelda was rushed to hospital by her mother and a neighbour, who found her bleeding heavily and in severe pain. The doctor suspected that a then-teenage Imelda had attempted to abort the baby, and called the police.
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The baby was found alive and healthy, and a DNA test proved the child had been fathered by her stepdad.
Imelda, who comes from San Miguel, was repeatedly abused by her 70-year-old stepfather since the age of 12, and says she didn't know that she was pregnant.
Despite the baby surviving, she was charged with attempted murder and denied bail - she has remained in jail for over a year.
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The case highlights the central American nation's strict abortion regulations. The country has imposed a total ban on terminations since 1998 after a clamp down on rules.
Even those suspected of an abortion can be prosecuted by the state, and if a patient has suffered a miscarriage or stillbirth they could still be charged with a crime.
A psychological evaluation of Imelda detected cognitive and emotional deficits consistent with abuse and trauma, but she has received no support since being incarcerated.
"This is the most extreme, scandalous injustice against a woman I've ever seen," Bertha María Deleón, one of the Imelda's defence lawyers, told The Guardian. "The state has repeatedly violated Imelda's rights as a victim; she's deeply affected but denied psychological attention."
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Like Imelda, most of the women in cases like these are single, rural-dwellers convicted after suffering a miscarriage or stillbirth.
Imelda was threatened by her step-father in hospital if she reported the abuse, saying he would kill her, her siblings and her mother.
His death-threats were overheard by another patient, and a nurse informed the police.
Prosecutors first accused Imelda of 'inventing' the abuse to excuse her own crime, and her stepfather is yet to be charged although is incarcerated.
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Her trial starts today (Monday, 12th November) and is expected to last for around a week. At least 25 other women in El Salvador have been jailed on similar charges.
A petition to free Imelda had amassed over 48,000 signatures at the time of writing.
Featured Image Credit: PA ImagesTopics: Life News, News, Real, abortion