National Police troops used tear-gas and armored vehicles against marchers for abortion rights in Lima Aug. 13, who attempted to storm Peru's Congress building. Many of the hundreds of women at the protest were partially naked, with demands for reproductive freedom written on their torsos in red—symbolizing blood. Protesters were pressing for passage of a bill to remove penalties for abortion in the case of rape. A simialr measure was introduced to Congress last year, but failed to pass. Under current Peruvian law, having an abortion is punishable by up to two years in prison, and performing one punishable by up to six years. Some 350,000 illegal abortions are thought to take place in Peru annually. (El Comercio [4], NowThis [5], Peru This Week [6], Aug. 13)
