Denmark apologize to the victims of Inuit Greenland forced contraception

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederixen gave a long-awaited forgiveness to women and their families who called “systematic discrimination” during a contraceptive campaign.

During the 1960s and 1970s, thousands of women and girls under the age of 12 were equipped with contraceptive devices under the birth control program managed by Danish doctors.

“We can’t change what happened. But we can take responsibility,” Frederixen said about the scandal.

“On behalf of Denmark, I would like to say sorry,” she said, admitting that the victims “survived both physical and psychological harm.”

The scale of the birth control program was first brought out in 2022 under the podcast investigation called A spiral company – The coil company.

The device used is usually known as coil and placed inside theip or uterus to prevent pregnancy.

Over the past few years, many women have been speaking to say that they were equipped with an internal device (Navy) without their knowledge and consent.

Few previously knew about the contraceptive campaign, and reports caused shock and anger.

Records from the National Archives showed that 4,500 women and girls, some 13 years old from 1966 to 1970, had the implantation of the Navy.

It is unclear from them how many cases were not enough. However, dozens of women spoke, sharing traumatic personal reports, and some remained sterile.

A group of 143 women since then filed a lawsuit against the Danish state that requires compensation: 138 of them were up to 18 years old.

The use of birth control was so widespread that Greenland’s population growth has slowed greatly.

Speaking on Danish television last December, former Prime Minister of Greenland, a mute, said that it was a “genocide”.

An official request was launched and the results will be published next month after a two -year investigation.

“Although we do not have a complete picture,” said Frederixen, “this creates a serious impression on the government that so many women from Greenland unanimously report that they were abused by the Danish health care system.”

One of the victims, Henry Bortelsen, said she was satisfied with the apology, even when she came quite late.

Naja Libert, who is a psychologist, said in a previous interview with the BBC that it was 100% clear that the government violated the law, “violating our human rights and causing us serious damage.”

“The apology, of course, is nice and makes my customers happy. It’s part of what they need,” said Mads Promung, a lawyer representing women, said the BBC.

“(What) we haven’t heard anything,” he added, “they admit or agree that it is, that it is a human rights violation.”

Greenland was a Danish colony until 1953 and did not receive the Rules of the House until 1979, but Copenhagen continued to observe the health care system before Greenland was responsible in 1992.

Several cases of forced contraception also occurred after that time, and already in 2018, as reported by the BBC earlier.

Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederick Nielsen said his government also admitted his responsibility, but Facebook said it was time when Denmark officially apologized.

“It’s too long the sacrifice … silenced to death. It is sad that forgiveness comes only now – too late and too bad,” he said.

“We cannot change what has happened. But we can take responsibility for the fact that the truth is, and that the responsibility is assigned where it belongs. The upcoming investigation will show a full degree of attacks and help to guarantee that nothing like this will never happen.”

Mette Frederixen acknowledged that the case caused “anger and sadness for many Greenland and many families” and damaged Denmark’s perception.

This case is one of a number of disputes related to the Danish treatment with Greenlanders, including forced adoptions, the removal of Inuit children from their families and legally parenting, who shocked the relations between the territory of the Arctic and Copenhagen and contributed to the call for independence.

Greenland and Denmark agreed to investigate the scandal said BBC that the justification of politics was partly financially, but also the result of colonial relations.

After the Second World War, the tiny population of Greenland was rocket, and by 1970 it had almost doubled. Mr. Rud said that Denmark wanted to limit the population growth, adding that it had reduced “problems of providing housing and well -being”.

Aja Heminitz, Member of the Greenland in the Danish Parliament, welcomed the apology and told the BBC that it was important for Greenland and Danish society to reach the closure.

“These different cases that are not historical but are actually present. These are the people who live today.”

“We also have to focus on compensation for women,” she continued. “Of course, we’re going to look into the report. We will go political.”