After the case of Ivana Nikoline Brønlund, the young mother of Inuit origin to whom her daughter was taken away immediately after childbirth, we return to talk about the discrimination suffered by this people. Denmark now seems ready to recognize the errors of the past and to deal with the systematic injustices that this community has been subjected.
The Danish Prime Minister puts Frederiksen, apologized to women inuit victims of systematic discrimination in the so -called “spiral case”, relating to the period in which Denmark managed the health system of Greenland, or until 1992.
Even the president of the Greenish government, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, presented its apologies for the injustices suffered by the same women after Greenland has taken on the management of its health system.
But what happened concretely to justify all these excuses? These are very serious deeds and the words alone certainly cannot erase the pain immediately for decades of thousands of women.
The case of the spirals
It is estimated that between 1966 and 1970 4,500 women were subjected, in general silence, to sterilization or insertion of intrauterine devices (IUD, the so -called “spirals”) without consent fully informed or without being adequately informed about the consequences.
Many of these procedures were made to reduce the birth rate between the Inuit population, in the context of social and health control policies today considered systematic and discriminatory abuse against a minority. The problem did not only concern the procedures itself, but also their selective use: Danish women, in fact, were not subjected to similar practices, which caused physical and psychological trauma widespread exclusively among the inuit population.
Many women have suffered excruciating pain, bleeding, infections; Some have suffered the removal of the uterus and lost forever the possibility of having children. These abuses did not stop in the 70s: even after the 90s and beyond, cases of insertion of IUD have been reported without a fully informed consent, in particular during surgical interventions such as induced abortions.
The apologies of Denmark and Greenland
We cannot change what happened, but we can take responsibility – underlined FrederiKsen – therefore, on behalf of Denmark, I would like to say: “I’m sorry”. We would like to apologize to the girls and women who have been the subject of systematic discrimination. Because they are Greenish. For suffering physical and psychological damage. For being disappointed.
He then explained that, once the impartial investigation on the IUD, Denmark and Greenland case will be completed, they will discuss together how to deal with the concrete consequences of this dark part of the common history, including any financial compensation for victims.
Greenland President Nielsen reiterated the support of his government to affected women:
On behalf of the Government of Greenland, I would like to apologize for the damages and abuses that could have been imposed on several women after we have assumed the responsibility of our health system. I apologize to those among you who have undergone interventions that you have not requested or controlled and have experienced the consequences.
He then stated that the Greenland government has already prepared access to compensation for women involved. The works to implement this support are underway since last January and indications will soon be provided on how the women concerned will be able to apply to receive it.
The impartial investigation into the IUD case is scheduled for September 2025, at the end, Danish and Greenland governments will jointly present the apologies in Greenland, sanctioning a concrete commitment to recognize the errors of the past and offer justice to the victims. Finally!
Don’t you want to lose our news?
