Forced sterilization in the 21st century: A qualitative analysis of women's experiences in Canada

Abstract

Among women’s reproductive rights issues, non-consensual sterilization (NCS) is commonly overlooked or mistaken as a historical issue, despite being prevalent today. While sexual sterilization can have benefits, it is traumatic when performed without consent. Research suggests that women belonging to marginalized groups – particularly racialized or cultural minorities, women with intellectual disabilities, impoverished women - have historically faced higher risks of NCS in Canada. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the scope of this issue, this study proposes a secondary analysis of the testimonies of women who have undergone NCS in Canada in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Utilizing qualitative methodologies, the study identifies common themes in these narratives, which call particular attention to the systemic failures in Canadian healthcare ethics and practice, the psychological and cultural consequences of NCS, and the demand for justice by survivors. Feminist bioethics provides a critical framework, emphasizing the importance of intersecting social identities.