FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY Crimes Against Women in Gynecology and our Answer!
While we are reading this statement here in Brussels, women in the Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia and in other parts of the world undergo clitorectomy (removal of the clitoris). In the USA, this cruel method was used until 1925 and circumcision on women was performed until at least 1937 to prevent women from masturbating.
The removal of the uterus and the ovaries (castration) is today as common in western countries as in the 19th century, when doctors exchanged female sexual organs like trophies. Today it is a common operation on women during their menopause and often on lower class women who have abortions. Hospitals in West Berlin, Germany, force women who come for an abortion to sign a paper which allows doctors to remove the uterus if he considers it necessary.
The following examples illustrate the attitude doctors have toward our bodies:
"You want a child? But your uterus is bent - we first have to operate on it."
"You are frigid? We can do something about that. We only need to shorten the uterine ligaments."
In this way, doctors make money on useless operations on women.
The treatment of women who give birth expresses as much hostility: episiotomy is a routine. Afterwards, the women are sewn especially tight to increase the pleasure of the man. It happens that women are sewn so tight that the skin tears during intercourse and they have to be cut and sewn again;
There is nothing but hostility and contempt for women behind these methods. This becomes obvious in the sexual abuse which we are subject to especially from gynecologists: fondling, suggestive comments and looks and rape during illegal abortions.
To many of us the following statements are not unfamiliar: doctor about a woman who cried, because one of her breasts had been removed on account of cancer: "Why in the world are they so upset about their drooping tits." And a doctor in a hospital to a woman 5 minutes before she was to have an abortion: "Why didn't you take the pill? Now we have to clean out the shit! "
There is no official contraceptive which guarantees women's health. The side effects of the different pills are widely known, but many women still don't know that the mini pill also can prevent ovulation and lead to-an atrophy of the endometrium (utering lining). The effect of the lUD (intrauterine device) derives from an infection or a chronic inflammation of the uterus. Research shows that copper lUD's have additional dangerous side effects (e.g. an influence on the UNA content of the cells). Depo Provera, contained in the contraceptive injection given once every 3 months, is cancer producing. (The products in the FGR are Clinovir and Depo Clinovir). Prostaglandins, which presently are being tried out as a late abortion method at university hospitals in the FGR, put women through a torture like experience. Flagyl, the most frequently prescribed medication against trichomonas, has been proven to produce cancer. (The same is true of the medication Sanatrichon in the FGR). New research indicates links between Flagyl and birth defects, still births and premature births. DBS (Diethystil-bestrol), an artificial estrogen, produces vaginal cancer in the daughters of the women treated with it; it is contained in, e.g., the morning after pill (in the FGR Cyren B) and in vaginal suppositories (in the FGR Gyne Merphen) which are prescribed against discharge etc. In the US, it has recently become illegal to mix DBS into cattlefeed, although it is contained in much greater doses in the morning after pill. Research indicates that conjugated estrogens, which are prescribed for women during their menopause, lead to cancer of the uterus (in the FGR Menrium, Oestro Feminal, Ovaribran, Presomen, Seda Presomen, Transannon, Conjugen).
What is self help?
In many parts of the world, women have begun to regain control over their bodies and their sexuality. The basis for this self help is the self examination and the sharing of our experiences.
Since we were very young we were taught to be ashamed of and disgusted with our genital organs. Only men have access to our vagina; gynecologists exert power over us with their knowledge of our sexual organs. That is partly because as women we had hardly any possibility to gain any "insight" into our bodies. Self examination means to examine yourself regularly with a speculum and a mirror (the gynecologist uses the speculum to examine our vagina and cervix. A plastic speculum which can be locked makes it possible for us to use it ourselves and we can see more through the plastic than the gynecologist through his metal instrument which is icy cold.). During our examinations we could see that, for instance, during the cycle small red dots may occur on the cervix, which a doctor would eagerly cauterize; but they can be normal and disappear again after a few days. There are women too who are now able to determine the time of their ovulation through self examination. Furthermore, we
can find out about infections before symptoms like itching etc. appear.
We get to know our own bodies, develop our own methods of treating gynecological disorders and acquire skills (pelvic examination, breast examination, gynecological tests, menstrual extraction). We have been successful in using honey, garlic, yogurt, etc. for some disorders instead of vaginal medications, tablets, creams and cauterization.
In this way we create a new health care which represents an attack on the established medical system, its representatives, the doctors and on the pharmaceutical industry, as well as on population and family politics.
As women we have no allies in individual governments, in the male left or in the male right, in corporate structures or in their cohorts, the population controllers, for all oppress and exploit us. Until now we only count as cheap or unpaid labor. That is why we have to create, next to other struggles, our own institutions and structures and realize and use the potential of our untapped and overlooked resources. These institutions are not alternatives, but the basis for the feminist revolution. During the past years, women in the US have created Feminist Women's Health Centers, which continue to expand. Self help groups exist by now in many countries including New Zealand, Japan, Kenya, In West Berlin, we will soon open the first European Feminist Women's Health Center. In the center, we will do self help courses and self help presentations, we will build up information files for every woman to use and start a self help newsletter. Any woman can come to us with her gynecological problem and we will share our self help experiences with her.
WOMEN NEED POWER! CONTROL OVER OUR BODIES IS A DECISIVE STEP TOWARD THIS POWER!
INTERNATIONAL SELF HELP IS MORE POWERFUL!
For information write to:
Feministisches Frauen Gesundheits Zentrum
Postfach 36 03 68
1000 Berlin 36
We need financial support to start the center and maintain it. Donations can be sent to:
Feministisches Frauen Gesundheits Zentrum
Sparkasse Berlin West
Konto Nr. 064000733
Our book on self help Hexengefluster: Frauen greifen zur Selbsthilfe can be ordered c.o.d. at:
Feministisches Frauen Gesundheits Zentrum
Postfach 36 03 68
1000 Berlin 36
(01432)