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WhatsAppHistoric Apology for Decades of Reproductive Coercion
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen traveled to Greenland's capital Nuuk today to deliver a formal apology for what has become known as the "spiral scandal" - a decades-long program where thousands of Greenlandic women and girls were fitted with intrauterine devices (IUDs), often without their knowledge or consent. The campaign, initiated by Danish health authorities in the 1960s, aimed to control population growth in Greenland.
Personal Trauma Revealed
Henriette Berthelsen, now 67, was just 13 years old when she was forced to undergo the procedure at her boarding school in Nuuk. "I had no idea what it meant, we weren't sexually active," she recalls. The experience left deep psychological scars, with Berthelsen describing the procedure as feeling like rape. "My parents knew nothing about it and I never dared to tell them."
The spiral campaign peaked in the 1960s and 1970s, affecting approximately 4,500 women and girls - nearly half of Greenland's female population at the time. Many suffered complications from the devices, which were designed for adult women and were often too large for young girls' bodies.
Colonial Legacy and Modern Consequences
Greenland transitioned from a Danish colony to a Danish municipality in 1953, which theoretically granted Greenlanders access to Denmark's welfare state. However, this modernization came with heavy-handed population control measures. The forced contraception program continued even after Greenland took over its own healthcare policy in 1992.
The scandal only came to light in 2022 when Greenlandic women began sharing their stories publicly. Since then, 143 women including Berthelsen have filed lawsuits against the Danish state, seeking €40,000 each in compensation.
Political Context and Future Implications
The apology comes amid growing geopolitical tensions, with former US President Donald Trump expressing interest in acquiring Greenland. Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen stood alongside Frederiksen during the apology ceremony, emphasizing the need for reconciliation.
For Berthelsen and many other survivors, the apology represents a first step toward healing, but much work remains. "Saying sorry is not enough. We need to document what happened and address the ongoing problems to truly move forward," she stated.
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