From the Publisher
"What Happened to Belén is a harrowing and revelatory account of how one woman’s life was turned upside down and how she never stopped fighting for her innocence. Ana Correa poignantly recounts how so many systems failed Belen, the movement that sprung to action to free her, and most importantly, what happened to Belen in Belen’s own words on her own terms. This is an essential read detailing the harms created by police in healthcare settings, abortion stigma, and the criminalization of pregnancy outcomes whether it’s in Argentina or the United States of America." — Renee Bracey Sherman, abortion activist, founder of We Testify, and author of Liberating Abortion
"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." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"A poignant and inspiring account of women organizing on behalf of women." — Publishers Weekly
"Ana Correa poignantly recounts how so many systems failed Belén, the movement that sprung to action to free her . . . an essential read detailing the harms created by police in healthcare settings, abortion stigma, and the criminalization of pregnancy outcomes whether it’s in Argentina or the United States of America." — Literary Hub
"In this gripping, moving, and personal account, Correa shows how Belén’s experience could happen to any woman but at the same time, we all have the power to raise our collective voices and demand change." — HipLatina
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2024-08-16
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.
