How Brazil’s “Protection Network” Betrays Girls Who Seek Abortion

The investigation “Rede invisível’: como a rede de acolhimento se vira contra meninas que necessitam abortar” (Invisible Network: How the Protection System Turns Against Girls Who Need Abortions) published by Agência Pública in portuguese, reveals how Brazil’s child protection system - meant to guarantee rights — can become an instrument of coercion. Drawing from confidential documents obtained exclusively, the report follows the case of Mariana, a 12 year old girl who became pregnant after being raped by a family member. Although protected by Brazilian law, which allows abortion in cases of sexual violence, she faced a series of institutional and religious barriers aimed at preventing the procedure.

The story shows that lawyers, judges, healthcare professionals, and family members influenced by religious groups such as Opus Dei have increasingly acted to block access to legal abortion in Brazil. In Mariana’s case, Catholic anti-abortion lawyers filed last-minute legal actions, judges invoked “conscientious objection,” and authorities delayed the process, subjecting the girl to a prolonged ordeal and new forms of violence. Instead of protection, Mariana encountered resistance from the very institutions that should have ensured her safety and autonomy.

The investigation uncovers the existence of an “invisible network” — a loose web of religious and conservative actors operating within the state to undermine access to legal abortion, particularly for girls who are victims of rape. This network has no formal leadership but operates through informal ties and coordinated actions across shelters, child protection councils, courts, and hospitals, creating bureaucratic, emotional, and legal barriers that discourage and delay the exercise of a right guaranteed by law.

Through Mariana’s story, the investigation exposes a pattern of ideological interference. By showing how religious values and personal beliefs are shaping institutional decisions, the report denounces the fragility of access to legal abortion in Brazil and the deep harm this network of power inflicts on the country’s most vulnerable girls.

Read the full investigation in Portugues here.
Leia a investigação completa em português aqui.

Redacción: Ulli Jentsch