What happened to Belén The unjust imprisonment that sparked a women's rights movement

Journalist Correa debuts with the harrowing story of an Argentinian woman imprisoned in 2014 after a miscarriage (she was falsely accused of inducing an abortion), whose ordeal ignited a movement to legalize abortion in Argentina. Correa's account is based on in-depth interviews with the woman, known by the pseudonym Belén, and with Belén's lawyer, Soledad Deza, who became aware of Belén's ordeal two years into her imprisonment. Shocked to learn a woman was actually imprisoned for abortion--in Argentina, abortion was technically illegal, but an underground abortion network had long been tolerated--Deza publicized the case, getting many local and international rights organizations involved. The story captured headlines and prompted a surge of feminist sentiment and activism. Belén was exonerated in 2016, and abortion was legalized in Argentina in 2020. Briskly narrated in Sanches's snappy translation, Correa's broader political narrative rests heavily on intimate character studies of Deza, who's depicted as an indomitable champion of women ("Soledad doesn't sleep. She sweeps the city for evidence and contacts. She files claims"), and Belén, whose trauma is hauntingly explored ("Hours pass and night falls again at the women's correctional facility. This is when Belén usually loses hope"). It's a poignant and inspiring account of women organizing on behalf of women. (Sept.)

How an Argentinian woman became the face of the battle for women's reproductive health rights. Belén was a 25-year-old Argentinian woman who was wrongfully imprisoned after she suffered a miscarriage, without her knowing she was pregnant. After being admitted to a hospital in Tucumán that was next to a men's correctional facility, Belén endured pain in her midsection that soon led to hemorrhaging. Due to strict reproductive health laws in Argentina, Belén's physician reported her to the authorities for allegedly murdering her unborn child. Her assigned prosecutor charged her with "homicide aggravated by relationship." She was placed into police custody and, while she recovered, a male nurse brought her a box containing a dead fetus from the bathroom where she had been. "This is your son," he said. "Look what you did, bitch." Belén remained behind bars for almost three years. After two failed attempts at clearing Belén's name, her feminist lawyer, Soledad Deza, turned to social media to rally support. Before long, Belén's story gained international traction from organizations such as Amnesty International. The hashtag that went viral while she was locked up, #NiUnaMenos, "Not One Less," sparked conversations about women's health issues, such as abortion, and encouraged women to support each other. When Belén left prison, cameras got a shot of her wearing a white mask to conceal her identity. The mask would become a symbol of Belén's fight and a symbol of hope to those who have suffered similar atrocities. As this stirring account shows, there are many women like Belén whose names we don't know, but whose stories are just as important. An uplifting chronicle of one woman's fight for justice. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.