171 Greenlandic Women Apply for Compensation in "Coil Case"

A total of 171 Greenlandic women have applied for compensation under the "coil case" scheme since the application process began on July 1. The Patient Compensation Association confirmed the figures, which have emerged following years of political and public attention on the issue.

The compensation scheme provides 300,000 Danish kroner to women who had intrauterine devices (IUDs), commonly known as coils, inserted without their consent up until 1991. The case gained prominence through reports of women and girls being fitted with contraceptives without adequate information or explicit acceptance.

Patienterstatningen, the Danish Patient Compensation Association, is currently processing the applications. They are evaluating whether the women meet the criteria for the compensation, which aims to address historical injustices related to forced or non-consensual IUD insertions.

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The scheme gives the opportunity for a compensation of 300,000 kroner to Greenlandic women who, up to and including 1991, had an IUD inserted without having given consent.

Trine Berner Madsen, secretariat chief at Patienterstatningen, anticipates a continued influx of applications. She expects more women to come forward before the application window closes on September 1, 2028. The extended deadline allows ample time for affected individuals to come forward and seek redress.

The coil case highlights a dark chapter in reproductive health practices in Greenland, where women were subjected to procedures without proper consent. The compensation scheme represents a formal acknowledgment and attempt to provide some measure of justice for the harm caused.

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I expect that even more applications will come in continuously towards September 1, 2028, when the window closes.