What do you think?
Rate this book
What Happened to Belén: The Unjust Imprisonment That Sparked a Women’s Rights Movement – A Gripping True Story of One Woman's Case and the Global Fight for Reproductive Justice
"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)
Foreword by Margaret Atwood
The heartbreaking true story of an Argentinian woman imprisoned for having a miscarriage—an injustice that galvanized a feminist movement and became a global rallying cry in the fight for reproductive rights.
In 2014, Belén, a twenty-five-year-old woman living in rural Argentina, went to the hospital for a stomachache—and soon found herself in prison. While at the hospital she had a miscarriage—without knowing she was pregnant. Because of the nation’s repressive laws surrounding abortion and reproductive rights, the doctors were forced to report her to the authorities. Despite her protestations, Belén was convicted and sentenced to two years for homicide.
Belén’s imprisonment is a glaring example of how women’s health care has become increasingly criminalized, putting the most vulnerable—BIPOC, rural, and low-income—women at greater risk of prosecution. Belén’s cause became the centerpiece of a movement to achieve greater protections for all women. After two failed attempts to clear her name, Belén met feminist lawyer Soledad Deza, who quickly rallied Amnesty International and ignited an international feminist movement around #niunamas—not one more—symbolized by thousands of demonstrators around the globe donning white masks, the same kind of mask Belén wore when leaving prison. The #niunamas movement was instrumental in pressuring Argentine president Alberto Fernández to decriminalize abortion in 2021.
In this gripping and personal account of the case and its impact on local law, Ana Correa, one of Argentina’s leading journalists and activists, makes clear that what happened to Belén could happen to any woman—and that we all have the power to raise our collective voices and demand change.
Foreword by Margaret Atwood
The heartbreaking true story of an Argentinian woman imprisoned for having a miscarriage—an injustice that galvanized a feminist movement and became a global rallying cry in the fight for reproductive rights.
In 2014, Belén, a twenty-five-year-old woman living in rural Argentina, went to the hospital for a stomachache—and soon found herself in prison. While at the hospital she had a miscarriage—without knowing she was pregnant. Because of the nation’s repressive laws surrounding abortion and reproductive rights, the doctors were forced to report her to the authorities. Despite her protestations, Belén was convicted and sentenced to two years for homicide.
Belén’s imprisonment is a glaring example of how women’s health care has become increasingly criminalized, putting the most vulnerable—BIPOC, rural, and low-income—women at greater risk of prosecution. Belén’s cause became the centerpiece of a movement to achieve greater protections for all women. After two failed attempts to clear her name, Belén met feminist lawyer Soledad Deza, who quickly rallied Amnesty International and ignited an international feminist movement around #niunamas—not one more—symbolized by thousands of demonstrators around the globe donning white masks, the same kind of mask Belén wore when leaving prison. The #niunamas movement was instrumental in pressuring Argentine president Alberto Fernández to decriminalize abortion in 2021.
In this gripping and personal account of the case and its impact on local law, Ana Correa, one of Argentina’s leading journalists and activists, makes clear that what happened to Belén could happen to any woman—and that we all have the power to raise our collective voices and demand change.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published September 24, 2024
13 people are currently reading
1130 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
November 15, 2024
This book is a must read in our current time. With the overturning of Roe v. Wade, what happened to Belén could happen to any woman or person associated with a miscarriage or abortion. The book is about abortion, yes, but Belén didn’t actually have an abortion. She had a miscarriage early in a pregnancy she didn’t know about and then had a medical procedure to ensure all trace of the already miscarried fetus were removed from her uterus to prevent sepsis.
This book is hopeful. It is also sad. But it is told in a journalistic narrative that is engaging and easy to read. I hope that wherever Belén is today, she is thriving.
This book is hopeful. It is also sad. But it is told in a journalistic narrative that is engaging and easy to read. I hope that wherever Belén is today, she is thriving.
December 22, 2024
I wish I could describe this book as dystopian but unfortunately it is an incredibly timely & unflinching account of real threats to the reproductive rights faced by women around the world. A must read.
February 26, 2025
90% of this story is repeated over and over. If you miss the facts of the case the first 10 times they are brought up, don't worry because you will hear them 10 more times by the end. It's a horrifying story that is unfortunately more likely to happen again in this day and age, but I think there wasn't a lot to talk about to make this a full-length novel so a lot of things were repeated numerous times to get the word count up. Unarguably a very important story to get out there to people so we can avoid something like this happening again, but easily could've been cut down a looooot without all of the extra fluff.
March 8, 2025
Everyone say it with me:
ABORTION IS HEALTHCARE!
ABORTION IS HEALTHCARE!
August 25, 2024
Book Review: "What Happened to Belén: The Unjust Imprisonment That Sparked a Women’s Rights Movement" by Ana Elena Correa
Ana Elena Correa’s “What Happened to Belén: The Unjust Imprisonment That Sparked a Women’s Rights Movement” is a powerful and harrowing exploration of a dark chapter in contemporary Argentine history. As someone who deeply values feminist principles and has a background in Spanish history and culture, I was both intrigued and horrified by this account of systemic injustice.
The narrative centers around Belén, a young woman who faced severe repercussions for a tragic incident (a miscarriage) that exposed deep-seated corruption and misogyny within Argentina’s judicial system. The book’s portrayal of her ordeal is so shocking that it initially seemed almost too outrageous to be true. However, the grim reality of Belén’s story is confirmed by Correa’s meticulous research and compelling storytelling.
“What Happened to Belén” reveals that the struggles faced by women in Argentina are not confined to the country’s tumultuous past (for example, in the Dirty War where many citizens were kidnapped and many mothers and grandmothers protested for the return of their children) but continue to pervade the present day. This book is a stark reminder that the fight for women’s rights is ongoing, and it challenges readers to confront the persistent inequalities within society — whether that’s within Argentina or worldwide.
This book is an essential read for anyone interested in women’s rights, Argentine history, and/or the broader struggle for justice and equality. Correa’s account not only sheds light on a significant but underreported event but also serves as a call to action, especially considering the recent overturn of Roe v. Wade in the United States. It’s a must-read for those who want to understand the complexities of gender and justice in modern Argentina and beyond.
**Disclaimer:** This review was assisted by AI, but all thoughts, opinions, and interpretations expressed are my own.
Ana Elena Correa’s “What Happened to Belén: The Unjust Imprisonment That Sparked a Women’s Rights Movement” is a powerful and harrowing exploration of a dark chapter in contemporary Argentine history. As someone who deeply values feminist principles and has a background in Spanish history and culture, I was both intrigued and horrified by this account of systemic injustice.
The narrative centers around Belén, a young woman who faced severe repercussions for a tragic incident (a miscarriage) that exposed deep-seated corruption and misogyny within Argentina’s judicial system. The book’s portrayal of her ordeal is so shocking that it initially seemed almost too outrageous to be true. However, the grim reality of Belén’s story is confirmed by Correa’s meticulous research and compelling storytelling.
“What Happened to Belén” reveals that the struggles faced by women in Argentina are not confined to the country’s tumultuous past (for example, in the Dirty War where many citizens were kidnapped and many mothers and grandmothers protested for the return of their children) but continue to pervade the present day. This book is a stark reminder that the fight for women’s rights is ongoing, and it challenges readers to confront the persistent inequalities within society — whether that’s within Argentina or worldwide.
This book is an essential read for anyone interested in women’s rights, Argentine history, and/or the broader struggle for justice and equality. Correa’s account not only sheds light on a significant but underreported event but also serves as a call to action, especially considering the recent overturn of Roe v. Wade in the United States. It’s a must-read for those who want to understand the complexities of gender and justice in modern Argentina and beyond.
**Disclaimer:** This review was assisted by AI, but all thoughts, opinions, and interpretations expressed are my own.
July 23, 2024
This book is a must-read for all women, highlighting the fragile nature of our freedoms and the urgent need for activism in human rights movements. As a first-generation Mexican American, I had never encountered Belén's story before reading this book.
The book deeply resonated with me because I have had two miscarriages within a year and a half. The pain of losing a baby is devastating enough, but the idea of also losing one's freedom is unimaginable. If I had been born in Argentina, I could have been in Belén’s shoes, criminalized for a miscarriage. Any woman who has had a miscarriage could have faced the same fate. Belén's story is the perfect example of injustice, moving me to tears more than any book has before.
Given the current political climate in the U.S, with some presidential candidates pushing to criminalize abortions, this book's relevance is even more urgent. We often think such injustices only occur elsewhere, but they could very well happen here in the U.S. It's crucial to bring awareness to stories like Belén's to remind us of how vulnerable our rights are and the importance of staying active in human rights movements to ensure that no woman is ever incarcerated for a miscarriage because it is mistaken for an abortion.
The book deeply resonated with me because I have had two miscarriages within a year and a half. The pain of losing a baby is devastating enough, but the idea of also losing one's freedom is unimaginable. If I had been born in Argentina, I could have been in Belén’s shoes, criminalized for a miscarriage. Any woman who has had a miscarriage could have faced the same fate. Belén's story is the perfect example of injustice, moving me to tears more than any book has before.
Given the current political climate in the U.S, with some presidential candidates pushing to criminalize abortions, this book's relevance is even more urgent. We often think such injustices only occur elsewhere, but they could very well happen here in the U.S. It's crucial to bring awareness to stories like Belén's to remind us of how vulnerable our rights are and the importance of staying active in human rights movements to ensure that no woman is ever incarcerated for a miscarriage because it is mistaken for an abortion.
December 26, 2025
In our society, when people want to hide something, they find someone to blame. They point their fingers at those who can't defend themselves, and they accuse them. They don't listen to them. These people become guilty because of their faces, their clothes, because they're poor, or because they're women like me.
-Belen
pg. 143
-Belen
pg. 143
February 20, 2025
A woman who lived in rural Argentina decided to go to the hospital for severe stomachache. It turns out that she is miscarrying a child she did not know about. But instead of getting all the support a woman in that situation should get, she get accused of homicide and after spending years in jail during her pre-trial, she gets convicted of murder.
No, this is not a dystopian novel. Neither it is a novel set in the early years of the last century. In fact, it is not a novel at all - it is the true story of a tragedy that started in 2014.
The writing of the book is a bit uneven - it jumps between the story of Belén and the story of the organizations that worked to get her released. It is also very Argentina-flavored - the authors throw names occasionally which probably mean a lot if you are local but they mean nothing for me. But it is still worth reading - it is a story that needs to be known a lot better (and I'd admit that I had not really been paying that much attention to the women issues in Latin America in the last decade or so).
The English translation of the book has an extra chapter compared to the original edition - updates on the new laws and changes in the rules in Argentina. It is somewhat good news - but it is also making me wonder how long will that work. Despite all the current changes happening in USA in the availability of legal abortions and the stricter rules for them in some areas, I hope that this book will one day be just a history that we all need to not forget. But I am afraid that this may be too optimistic.
No, this is not a dystopian novel. Neither it is a novel set in the early years of the last century. In fact, it is not a novel at all - it is the true story of a tragedy that started in 2014.
The writing of the book is a bit uneven - it jumps between the story of Belén and the story of the organizations that worked to get her released. It is also very Argentina-flavored - the authors throw names occasionally which probably mean a lot if you are local but they mean nothing for me. But it is still worth reading - it is a story that needs to be known a lot better (and I'd admit that I had not really been paying that much attention to the women issues in Latin America in the last decade or so).
The English translation of the book has an extra chapter compared to the original edition - updates on the new laws and changes in the rules in Argentina. It is somewhat good news - but it is also making me wonder how long will that work. Despite all the current changes happening in USA in the availability of legal abortions and the stricter rules for them in some areas, I hope that this book will one day be just a history that we all need to not forget. But I am afraid that this may be too optimistic.
October 16, 2024
Wow, prepare to feel gaslighted and enraged reading this one! But that is exactly why Belen's so important to hear. Belen is a woman in her twenties in rural Argentina who goes to the hospital with severe stomach pain. She ends up leaving the hospital for prison. Unbeknownst to Belen, she was twenty(?) weeks pregnant, and the pain was her miscarrying. When she comes to at the hospital, Belen is reported by the hospital and charged with murdering her baby.
Prior to her trial, she serves two years in prison in deplorable conditions. The evidence against Belen transforms to suit the desire of those prosecuting her. She is later sentenced to an additional 8 years in prison for a crime she never committed. It shows the terrifying reality when your family has limited resources, and you become victim of a punitive system.
This book reads very quickly with short chapters and gives a glimpse into the injustice that can come with interfering with women's reproduction and making assumptions when pregnancy doesn't result in a live birth. An eye-opening and important story of vital importance as our healthcare landscape and rights change.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC. All thoughts are my own.
Prior to her trial, she serves two years in prison in deplorable conditions. The evidence against Belen transforms to suit the desire of those prosecuting her. She is later sentenced to an additional 8 years in prison for a crime she never committed. It shows the terrifying reality when your family has limited resources, and you become victim of a punitive system.
This book reads very quickly with short chapters and gives a glimpse into the injustice that can come with interfering with women's reproduction and making assumptions when pregnancy doesn't result in a live birth. An eye-opening and important story of vital importance as our healthcare landscape and rights change.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC. All thoughts are my own.
May 6, 2024
Belen is the pseudonym of the courageous Argentinian woman who was imprisoned for having a miscarriage. During her ordeal, Belen was subjected to harassment, verbal abuse, and false accusations by the very people who should have protected her. Finally, finding like-minded women who believed in her account of what happened, she was able to get the help she needed. Her case resulted in nationwide demonstrations for the rights of women to have abortions.
Besides Belen's story, there is an account of the trials and everything that led to the laws changing. Readers also learned details about the women and the lawyers involved in helping Belen and the human rights movement in Argentina. While reading this book, I couldn't help thinking about all that is happening in the U.S. right now concerning abortion. Whether you are for or against it, this is an important book for all readers to read. Thank you to Ana Elena Correa for writing Belen's story.
Thank you, publisher, author, and Netgalley for this ARC.
Besides Belen's story, there is an account of the trials and everything that led to the laws changing. Readers also learned details about the women and the lawyers involved in helping Belen and the human rights movement in Argentina. While reading this book, I couldn't help thinking about all that is happening in the U.S. right now concerning abortion. Whether you are for or against it, this is an important book for all readers to read. Thank you to Ana Elena Correa for writing Belen's story.
Thank you, publisher, author, and Netgalley for this ARC.
September 5, 2024
thank you to netgalley, harper one and author, ana elena correa for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
this was a case i was previously unfamiliar with. it was beautifully written and i couldn’t put it down once i got going. the introduction by margaret atwood helps set the tone but the story carries the horror and how fragile women’s rights can be.
as abortion rights are constantly under fire and debate, this is an important precautionary story to remember. it could be any of us with a uterus, tomorrow. until we have equality and protections, we are all in danger.
the chapters are a little short and choppy but it helps move the book along, it was just a different type of reading than i’m typically accustomed to.
i highly recommend this one. everyone should read this.
this was a case i was previously unfamiliar with. it was beautifully written and i couldn’t put it down once i got going. the introduction by margaret atwood helps set the tone but the story carries the horror and how fragile women’s rights can be.
as abortion rights are constantly under fire and debate, this is an important precautionary story to remember. it could be any of us with a uterus, tomorrow. until we have equality and protections, we are all in danger.
the chapters are a little short and choppy but it helps move the book along, it was just a different type of reading than i’m typically accustomed to.
i highly recommend this one. everyone should read this.
December 22, 2024
Received this book from the publisher for an honest review. This book is powerful in many ways. Not only it talks about injustice, imprisonment, isolation and how people not directly involved in others' lives can decide upon them, but also about how one person can make the difference for many. This book is the story of Belén, a woman who finds herself in prison for miscarriage. She didn't even know that she was pregnant, but people called her murderer anyway without even thinking twice. This is the harsh story of a woman that went through hell, but came out victorious. It's the story of all those women who still fight for the right to do what they want with their bodies. It's the story of all the prejudice women still have to go through to this day. It's the start of a revolution.
October 28, 2024
I do not often read non-fiction, but I was fascinated by this author's firsthand account of what happened to the young Argentinian woman fictitiously named Belen when she was arrested in a hospital for aborting a fetus at a time when she did not even know that she was pregnant. She spent two and a half years in prison before being exonerated and released. The account was interesting to me from both an emotional angle and a legal angle.
Read
October 31, 2024I found this book on the shelf a couple days ago. Belen’s story is one I did not know as i imagine is the same for many people in the US.
Belen was unjustly accused of murder and sent to prison for 3 years after having a miscarriage at a hospital. This story ignited the fight for abortion rights in Argentina! This was heartbreaking and infuriating but also full of courage and resilience. An important read right now with the ongoing fight for Women’s rights in our country.
Belen was unjustly accused of murder and sent to prison for 3 years after having a miscarriage at a hospital. This story ignited the fight for abortion rights in Argentina! This was heartbreaking and infuriating but also full of courage and resilience. An important read right now with the ongoing fight for Women’s rights in our country.
November 23, 2024
Imagine being persecuted for having a miscarriage?
However in Argentina Belén is arrested and jailed on false charges. This book explains how she was accused, and what she went through. Absolutely inspiring to see how many women wanted to help her find justice and change the world in Argentina.
With a foreword by Margaret Atwood - this book is a must read for women everywhere. It’s also a must read for the men who say they are allies.
However in Argentina Belén is arrested and jailed on false charges. This book explains how she was accused, and what she went through. Absolutely inspiring to see how many women wanted to help her find justice and change the world in Argentina.
With a foreword by Margaret Atwood - this book is a must read for women everywhere. It’s also a must read for the men who say they are allies.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2025
I really enjoyed learning about this story and felt chills at certain points as I read it. I wish I would have read the Spanish version though. I think there were also some small sections that felt like tangents and took away from the impact of the story.
April 23, 2025
So eye opening, so truth telling. This book is a must read. I have never read a book with so many strong women in it, so many supportive women in it. Everyone should know their names, they changed the world 🩷
December 14, 2024
Not a huge fan of the super short chapters that jump around but i think that its still an incredibly important story to tell and I'm glad its out there in this capacity
December 30, 2024
Heartbreaking and essential.
January 10, 2025
A fascinating, quick read. I really liked the story. I just wish some of the chapters had dug in a bit more.
March 25, 2025
I LOVED IT. I have never heard of Belen’s story before and I can’t believe everything she has to go through 😠. It’s scary…
April 29, 2025
USA is taking notes from the wrong parts of this book
June 1, 2025
Wonderful, powerful story of feminism and ultimate justice in Argentina. I didn't always love the format, but maybe bc I was reading the translation it didn't flow the same.
June 25, 2025
everyone should read this
October 21, 2025
Belen’s situation reminds me of The Trial by Kafka, and illuminates that it’s not usually a question of doing the right thing, but that criminalizing women’s bodies gives license for anything.
December 29, 2025
This is a heartbreaking but ultimately empowering story about the damage that stigmatization and criminalization of abortion in addition to
an overwhelming culture of machismo does to women. A star deducted only because the chapters were very short and changed perspective sometimes abruptly.
an overwhelming culture of machismo does to women. A star deducted only because the chapters were very short and changed perspective sometimes abruptly.
December 17, 2024
I wasn't familiar with this story before reading this book, nor will most American readers, I'd wager: I've read occasional articles about the abortion movement in various Latin American countries, and about women organizing against femicides, but needless to say I know much more about the abortion fight here in the US. So I was so glad to have the opportunity to learn about Belén, and the campaign to legalize abortion in Argentina, through the translation of this book.
I am not someone who cries at much of anything and I got choked up multiple times reading this book. The story of this young woman is just so ludicrous, such a miscarriage of justice, that I couldn't stand it. And then the women from across the country (and the world) supporting her got me just as badly. It's complicated to have individuals serve as the faces of movements like this, particularly when they so often have to be "ideal victims" as Belén is in some ways: she didn't have an abortion but was criminalized for a miscarriage. But I think the fact that she's remained anonymous made her a kind of everywoman, and she really was an ideal candidate for this role (albeit unwittingly) given how passionately she responded to the movement that supported her, how inspired her feminism became in circumstances where she could easily have wanted to simply disappear. I admire her so much.
The book is very readable and written in very short chapters; it's a fast read. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to learn more about this story but in particular I think this would be a great read for teenagers who are learning about feminism and the criminalization of women's bodies, which sadly is more relevant than ever here in the US, especially with the election approaching.
I am not someone who cries at much of anything and I got choked up multiple times reading this book. The story of this young woman is just so ludicrous, such a miscarriage of justice, that I couldn't stand it. And then the women from across the country (and the world) supporting her got me just as badly. It's complicated to have individuals serve as the faces of movements like this, particularly when they so often have to be "ideal victims" as Belén is in some ways: she didn't have an abortion but was criminalized for a miscarriage. But I think the fact that she's remained anonymous made her a kind of everywoman, and she really was an ideal candidate for this role (albeit unwittingly) given how passionately she responded to the movement that supported her, how inspired her feminism became in circumstances where she could easily have wanted to simply disappear. I admire her so much.
The book is very readable and written in very short chapters; it's a fast read. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to learn more about this story but in particular I think this would be a great read for teenagers who are learning about feminism and the criminalization of women's bodies, which sadly is more relevant than ever here in the US, especially with the election approaching.
May 14, 2025
For it being a translation, I had a simple time reading it. It was fast paced & most of all, informative.
In this day & age, with Roe v Wade being overturned, it’s important to educate oneself with materials like this. It was an inspiring read, but also infuriating as a woman. I enjoyed reading it, & hope others pick this book up. It has an important message & a resilient protagonist (or should I say victim).
In this day & age, with Roe v Wade being overturned, it’s important to educate oneself with materials like this. It was an inspiring read, but also infuriating as a woman. I enjoyed reading it, & hope others pick this book up. It has an important message & a resilient protagonist (or should I say victim).
September 26, 2025
Un buen recordatorio de la importancia del movimiento de ni una menos. Me sacó de olvidarme de las cosas que me importan, buen mensaje de la intersección que este tema tiene en lo que pasa de día a día y como empieza el cambio. La historia de Belén fue muy bien escrita.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews