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Women who became pregnant in Maia or nearby Oporto and did not have enough money to travel to
abortion clinics in Spain were told about the secret clinic by hospital personnel, chemists, taxi drivers
or their own friends or relatives. The pregnant women had to pay $450 for the operation but none of
them had enough money. They all left items of jewellery - wedding rings, necklaces or earrings –
while they tried to find the rest of the money.
The case divided Portuguese public opinion. Most of the women come from very poor districts. All of
them were arrested because of the jewellery they gave the nurse who ran the clinic. "They are all poor.
If they had money, they would have gone to Spain or somewhere else," said Ms Silva, whose group
helped to organise international support for the Maia women.
Supporters say the women are victims. "There is evidence that pregnancy is a significant factor in sui-
cides in young people," said Milice Ribeiro, a psychologist.
Some people demanded a new abortion law for Portuguese women last week, saying that the current
law was ignored by almost 40,000 women who visited illegal clinics every year. Duarte Vilar, the direc-
tor of Portugal's Family Planning Association, said: "Illegal abortions have caused a number of deaths
and thousands of hospital admissions. We must treat this as a matter of public health."
The Guardian Weekly 24-1-2002, page 4
