"Denmark Performed Forced Contraception on Greenlandic Women for Decades"... Investigation Reveals Shocking Truth

Denmark Implements Forced Contraception Policy to Control Population in Former Colony of Greenland
Procedures Performed Without Consent, Including on Teenagers
Victims Suffered Cessation of Menstruation and Infertility

It has been revealed that Denmark forcibly administered contraception to women in Greenland, its former colony, without their prior consent in an effort to suppress population growth. As a result, some women suffered lifelong infertility. Yonhap News reported on the 9th (local time), citing The New York Times, that "a joint investigation by the University of Greenland and the University of Southern Denmark has laid bare Denmark’s forced contraception policy previously implemented on Greenlandic women." Greenland became a Danish colony in the 18th century and became an autonomous territory of Denmark in 1979.

Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark.

Last year, more than 150 Inuit women, the indigenous people of Greenland, filed a lawsuit against the Danish government, claiming their human rights were violated by the non-consensual insertion of intrauterine devices (IUDs). The recent report investigated the facts based on personal testimonies, medical records, and historical documents. The findings revealed that Danish doctors performed these procedures on Greenlandic women for decades, starting in the 1960s and 1970s and continuing afterward.

The report documented a total of 410 cases, and in 349 of them, the victims suffered complications from the procedures. The majority of the victims did not consent to contraception, nor were they advised in advance to have contraceptive devices inserted. Furthermore, girls as young as 12 underwent the procedures, with testimonies describing excessive bleeding, infections, and pain that left them bedridden or unable to attend school.

Women requested that doctors remove their IUDs, but the doctors refused. Victims said they had to live with chronic pain, shame, and isolation as a result. Some even removed the devices themselves. One woman, who was 13 at the time, said, "I heard that other girls pulled theirs out, so I pulled out my own IUD as well."

Some women received Depo-Provera, a hormonal contraceptive injection, instead of IUDs. Among those who received this injection, some experienced permanent cessation of menstruation or became infertile. There were also cases where women suffered long-term uterine damage, requiring surgical removal of the uterus.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark. Photo by Reuters and Yonhap News Agency

The Danish government had implemented forced contraception as an official policy to curb the population growth of Greenland. After the issue became public, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said last month, "We cannot change what happened, but we can take responsibility. I apologize on behalf of Denmark."

However, Greenlandic residents are demanding compensation from the Danish government, stating, "Even though colonial rule has ended, we are still treated as colonial subjects." One woman, who underwent non-consensual IUD insertion at the age of 15, said in an interview with Danish media, "This report is an acknowledgment of what we went through," adding, "No one can escape from this."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.