Legal Change and Attitudes Toward Abortion in South America: Social Decriminalization?

This article addresses a growing issue in South America: attitudes toward abortion in a context of rapid regulatory changes and increasing political tensions. Abortion is a central issue in the region, not only because of its high incidence but also due to its role as a battleground in contemporary polarization. Between 2012 and 2022, six South American countries have loosened their legal frameworks around abortion, marking a notable shift in nations where previous regulations had remained unchanged for decades. This phenomenon unfolds in the context of a struggle between feminist movements, with growing public influence, and conservative sectors that seek to restore traditional values through moral panic strategies.

Using data from rounds 5, 6, and 7 of the World Values Survey, the article provides a novel analysis for South America based on the number of countries compared regarding abortion attitudes. It examines how attitudes toward abortion have evolved in nine countries in the region and what variables increase the rejection of this practice.

The results show remarkable stability in attitudes, suggesting that legal changes do not always go hand in hand with shifts in social perceptions. Furthermore, religion, age, and interest in politics were the most significant variables across countries, increasing the likelihood of rejecting abortion. This analysis also challenges theoretical approaches applied to advanced industrialized countries, proposing the need for a more suitable framework to interpret the South American reality. By exploring attitudes toward abortion in the region, this article opens new avenues for understanding moral values and their implications in a scenario of modernity and political polarization