chongqing massage director of the regional office of the Family Protection Association

Buthaina Khalil, chongqing massage director of the regional office of the Family Protection Association, was more concerned about the psychological, economic, and health hazards of abortion in such unsolicited and un-safe environments. “Whether miscarriage is accidental or provoked, repercussions are the same,” she said. “A woman falls under immense psychological pressure, and whatever future problem she faces, would get attributed to the abortion. If society found out, she would be seen as someone who has broken social norms. Economically, she often sells her belongings to pay for the abortion, or borrows money for the operation.Most countries in the region, Syria included, do not allow abortion. “Syria stands out with laws that deter citizens from seeking abortion, and harsh punishment for those who facilitate or commit abortion,” Fouad Awad, an attorney specialized in criminal law, said. “The law punishes women who commit abortion with jail terms that vary from six months to three years, and any person who facilitates abortion is punished with a prison term that varies between one to three years. If abortion leads to death of the woman, punishment becomes hard labor for four to seven years.” Most black market abortions happen in so-called “Women Clinics” or among “qabila” (unlicensed midwifes). Those who do perform these illegal operations, justify their action saying that they do it to protect Oriental women from a social scandal, which might lead to her chongqing massage death.