Los Angeles Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo announced the launch of a major statewide initiative to find and compensate survivors of forced or unknown sterilization at Los Angeles County General Hospital, marking the beginning of a major step toward rectifying a one of the worst injustices in California history.
The assemblywoman managed to have measure AB 1007 included in the 2021-22 budget, to create California’s compensation program for forced or involuntary sterilization, which meant contributing $7.8 million for a search and compensation campaign for survivors of this type of sterilization in state-run institutions such as hospitals and prisons.
Due to a lack of research and information, the program did not include survivors of unknown sterilizations that occurred between the late 1960s and early 1970s at Los Angeles County General Hospital.
In light of this injustice, Assemblywoman Carrillo proposed an additional investment of $300,000 so that the organization Alliance for a Better Communityinvestigate these eugenic practices and the impact they had on the mostly Spanish-speaking immigrant women who gave birth at Los Angeles County General Hospital and were sterilized without their consent.
The objective of these funds is to find them and include them in the program.
“Defending a woman’s right to choose is a fundamental value that includes the right to decide if she wants to become a mother,” said Assemblywoman Carrillo.
He noted that even though Los Angeles County General Hospital is not a state facility, it followed what were then California’s eugenics principles, which gave medical personnel the power to decide whether people could reproduce.
“The reprehensible practices left an indelible mark on the lives of countless women, permanently depriving them of their right to have children, and of autonomy over their own bodies.”
He stated that the documentary no more babies from 2015, brings to light the heartbreaking stories of these women.
“It is a powerful reminder of the grave injustices that can be committed when the state fails to protect its citizens. As California finally gets ready to right these wrongs, it is essential that we make sure that all necessary steps are taken to find and compensate the survivors.”
And she emphasized that the disproportionate impact on women of color and specifically Latinas must be recognized, and it is imperative that California spare no effort in finding every living survivor.
“Finding them and providing them with compensation will never be enough, but it is the first step in addressing the wrongs that have been inflicted on them. I am proud to mark this as a significant milestone, and for California to continue to lead as an example of reproductive justice.”
The state of California’s history with eugenics is a dark and shameful one, marked by systemic racism and discrimination against marginalized communities, Carrillo said.
From 1909 to 1979, under state eugenics laws, thousands of women who used the services of hospitals, homes, and state institutions in California were victims of forced or involuntary sterilization.
This practice continued until 2010 in state prisons, primarily affecting women of color. California’s eugenics movement was so egregious that World War II Nazi Germany used it as a model.
“It is imperative to create an equitable and comprehensive health care system, and this includes recognizing and addressing the forced sterilizations of predominantly women and people of color suffered at the LAC+USC Medical Center with a significant proportion of Latino victims,” said the director general of the LAC+USC Medical Center, Jorge Orozco.
“While financial reparations do not completely resolve the immense suffering of these women, they can help alleviate any financial burden they may face.”
In 1975, the civil rights lawsuit, Madrigal v. Quilligan v. Los Angeles County General Hospital for forced or unknown sterilization, was filed, arguing that a woman’s right to have children was protected by the Supreme Court decision in roe v. Wade.
With the investigation and increased outreach to victims at Los Angeles County General Hospital, now called LAC+USC Medical Center, the budget allocation is intended to ensure that California takes all necessary steps to reach out to survivors and pay for recognition. and compensation long overdue.
Supervisor Hilda Solis said she is confident that the collaboration between Los Angeles County and the state will result in meaningful reparations for the women who were affected by the forced sterilizations at the historic General Hospital.
“This will in no way make up for the terrible atrocities that were committed against them, but it is a step in the right direction. Please know that we are committed to getting this right, and we can.”
Vanessa Aramayo, director of Alliance for a Better Communitysaid the Forced and Involuntary Sterilization Compensation Task Force is a critical step in recognizing the atrocities committed against already marginalized communities while addressing the generational impact of racist policies on families.
“By providing compensation and acknowledging this cruelty, California attempts to atone for the immense harm and ensure that such violations of bodily autonomy never occur again.”