Indiana blocks prestigious award for doctor who performed abortion on 10-year-old rape victim

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The state of Indiana reportedly blocked a doctor from receiving a prestigious award after she made national headlines and was reprimanded for revealing that she performed an abortion on a 10-year-old rape victim.

Dr Caitlin Bernard had been recommended as one of the winners of the state’s Torchbearer awards, which recognises women who “have become true beacons of light”.

Dr Bernard was chosen among a handful of winners by the judges from around 60 women nominated for the awards.

But when it came to the state’s Indiana Commission for Women approving the winners, Dr Bernard’s name had “not approved” written next to it, reported The Indianapolis Star.

Dr Bernard, a leading obstetrician-gynaecologist, faced a Republican backlash over the abortion case, which took place shortly after the Supreme Court dismantled Roe v Wade and was then reprimanded by the state’s medical board.

Indiana’s Medical Licensing Board determined that Dr Caitlin Bernard – who provided care for the 10-year-old patient who travelled from Ohio to obtain legal access to abortion – had violated patient privacy laws by speaking to a reporter about the case.

Dr Bernard received a letter of reprimand and a $3,000 fine.

When the Star asked why Dr Bernard had been removed from award consideration, the Indiana Civil Rights Commission said it was due to her case that went before the Medical Licensing Board.

“It feels like the governor has said, women cannot be trusted to choose their own heroes,” said Deb Chubb, executive director of the Indiana Women’s Action Movement and one of the Torchbearer judges. “I think it’s just another kick in the gut to women in Indiana.”

The judges requested that Governor Eric Holcomb provided an explanation for weeks, but did not receive one.

Stephanie Slone, deputy director of internal and external programming at the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, eventually issued a  statement to the Star after multiple requests.

“After reviewing the backgrounds and supporting documentation of the nominations provided by the council of judges, it was determined that Dr Bernard’s nomination was not appropriate due to her ongoing case with the Medical Licensing Board,” she told the newspaper in an emailed statement.