Florida’s Abortion Ban Bill Calls for Proof of ‘Rape Papers’ to Terminate Pregnancy

Republican Florida governor Ron DeSantis has signed an abortion bill that requires victims of incest and rape to provide proof of the sexual assault before exemptions are granted.

The Republican governor signed the Heartbeat Protection Act into law on Thursday, which bans abortions after six weeks, per a press release.

“We are proud to support life and family in the state of Florida,” said DeSantis in a statement. “I applaud the Legislature for passing the Heartbeat Protection Act that expands pro-life protections and provides additional resources for young mothers and families.”

The six-week abortion ban requires victims of rape, human trafficking, and incest to provide documentation such as police reports or medical records before they can terminate a pregnancy. Social media users have dubbed such documents as “rape papers”.