João Pina - Photographer | Clandestine Abortion

Clandestine Abortion

In 2007 abortion laws were liberalized in Portugal. Ill performed abortions was in the early 2000's one of the main non-natural causes of women's death in the country.

This photographs made in 2005, show women (with changed names for their own legal protection) who in had abortions while it was still ilegal, which made them not only at risk to their own health but also facing criminal charges and the risk of spending time in prison.

10 years after the laws were changed, the new law is considered a success, with 15% less abortions made than in 2007, making Portugal the country in Europe with the less abortions performed by thousand born babies.

Work commissioned by D la Repubblica delle Donne.

Micaela (fake name), 18 born in 6 de Maio Slum in Amadora, outskirts of Lisbon, did an abortion when she was 16 with abortion pills after getting pregnant from her boyfriend at the time “which wasn’t the right person to be with” after taking the pills she had to go to the public hospital because of pain. She is now unemployed and still living in 6 de Maio trying to get pregnant of her current boyfriend.

Micaela (fake name), 18 born in 6 de Maio Slum in Amadora, outskirts of Lisbon, did an abortion when she was 16 with abortion pills after getting pregnant from her boyfriend at the time “which wasn’t the right person to be with” after taking the pills she had to go to the public hospital because of pain. She is now unemployed and still living in 6 de Maio trying to get pregnant of her current boyfriend.

Micaela (fake name), 18 born in 6 de Maio Slum in Amadora, outskirts of Lisbon, did an abortion when she was 16 with abortion pills after getting pregnant from her boyfriend at the time “which wasn’t the right person to be with” after taking the pills she had to go to the public hospital because of pain. She is now unemployed and still living in 6 de Maio trying to get pregnant of her current boyfriend.

Micaela (fake name), 18 born in 6 de Maio Slum in Amadora, outskirts of Lisbon, did an abortion when she was 16 with abortion pills after getting pregnant from her boyfriend at the time “which wasn’t the right person to be with” after taking the pills she had to go to the public hospital because of pain. She is now unemployed and still living in 6 de Maio trying to get pregnant of her current boyfriend.

Los Arcos abortion clinic in Badajoz, Spain. This clinic in Badajoz border city with Portugal is were anually more then 2000 Portuguese women go to get abortions done in a legal clinic.

Los Arcos abortion clinic in Badajoz, Spain. This clinic in Badajoz border city with Portugal is were anually more then 2000 Portuguese women go to get abortions done in a legal clinic.

Sarasvati (fake name), 21 born in Lisbon and now living with her father in Guincho Beach (Cascais) In May 2015 she got pregnant from her boyfriend after not being cautious with taking her birth control pill. She had an abortion in an illegal clinic in Lisbon. She now studies at the University of Tourism Administration.

Sarasvati (fake name), 21 born in Lisbon and now living with her father in Guincho Beach (Cascais) In May 2015 she got pregnant from her boyfriend after not being cautious with taking her birth control pill. She had an abortion in an illegal clinic in Lisbon. She now studies at the University of Tourism Administration.

Rute (fake name), 33 is 8 months pregnant of a boy (october 2005) of her husband. In the past she had two abortions, the first when she was 15 because she was initiating her sexual life and didn’t protect herself. The second time at the age of 27 when the condom of her partner broke. She is graduated in Philosophy and works in a child activities center in Lisbon.

Rute (fake name), 33 is 8 months pregnant of a boy (october 2005) of her husband. In the past she had two abortions, the first when she was 15 because she was initiating her sexual life and didn’t protect herself. The second time at the age of 27 when the condom of her partner broke. She is graduated in Philosophy and works in a child activities center in Lisbon.

Inês (fake name), 42 was born in Holland but raised in Lisbon. She is a single mother of a 12-year-old girl. 5 years ago in a relationship with her boyfriend her IUD failed and got pregnant, she decided to do an abortion by aspiration because she couldn’t afford to have another child. She is graduated in literature in France, and works in Lisbon as a journalist and writer.

Inês (fake name), 42 was born in Holland but raised in Lisbon. She is a single mother of a 12-year-old girl. 5 years ago in a relationship with her boyfriend her IUD failed and got pregnant, she decided to do an abortion by aspiration because she couldn’t afford to have another child. She is graduated in literature in France, and works in Lisbon as a journalist and writer.

Teresa Sales, 53 was born in Lisbon but now lives in Costa da Caparica, Almada. She is graduated in Art History and works in the social security administration also doing some work on politics. She had one of the few situations that the Portuguese law allows to have a legal abortion because when she got pregnant she realized that the child would be severely handicapped because of a medicine she took several years before. Without having any hospital prepared to do the abortion, she had to go to the illegal clinics and do it at her own costs, she has a daughter who works with her in the promotion of the equal rights for women, were legal abortion is one of their causes.

Teresa Sales, 53 was born in Lisbon but now lives in Costa da Caparica, Almada. She is graduated in Art History and works in the social security administration also doing some work on politics. She had one of the few situations that the Portuguese law allows to have a legal abortion because when she got pregnant she realized that the child would be severely handicapped because of a medicine she took several years before. Without having any hospital prepared to do the abortion, she had to go to the illegal clinics and do it at her own costs, she has a daughter who works with her in the promotion of the equal rights for women, were legal abortion is one of their causes.

Los Arcos abortion clinic in Badajoz, Spain. This clinic in Badajoz border city with Portugal is were anually more then 2000 Portuguese women go to get abortions done in a legal clinic.

Los Arcos abortion clinic in Badajoz, Spain. This clinic in Badajoz border city with Portugal is were anually more then 2000 Portuguese women go to get abortions done in a legal clinic.

João Pina - Photographer

João Pina is a freelance photographer born in Portugal in 1980. He began working as a professional photographer at age eighteen, and graduated from the International Center of Photography’s Photojournalism and Documentary Photography program in New York in 2005. Pina’s photographs have been published in D Magazine, Days Japan, El Pais, Expresso, GEO, La Vanguardia, New York Times, New Yorker, Newsweek, Stern, Time, and Visão, among others.

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