India’s gender-selection hecatombs reach mind-numbing levels

May 24, 2011 by  
Filed under Patrick's Blog

The Russian news agency RT reports that “4-12 million girls aborted in India because parents want boys.”

Sex selection of fetuses has become a major problem in India as the country faces a huge gender gap.  The problem has resulted in 7.1 per cent fewer girls than boys, according to Agence France-Presse, quoting a recent study. The results of the study, published Tuesday, suggest that parents in India often choose to abort the child if the testing shows it will be a girl. Between 1980 and 2010, they estimate that between four to twelve million girls were aborted because of their sex, the scientists revealed.

Selective abortion of female fetuses accounts for two to four per cent of female pregnancies in India, roughly 300,000 to 600,000 per year, the study shows. A 1996 government regulation designed to prevent the use of ultrasound for prenatal sex determination is widely flouted, the researchers say, pointing out that few health providers have been charged or convicted.

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9 Responses to “India’s gender-selection hecatombs reach mind-numbing levels”
  1. Jane says:

    Well, in reply to what Patty said, that India is following China, the point is that is not necessarily so, but rather an old story in India. It’s great that we keep exposing this story, It is important Patrick and Patty and all. It’s just now new, like the lady said

  2. kirsten Philadelphia says:

    this is old news.. sad.. but not recent. they have billboard ads in India that say “better x Rupees now, than 1,000x rupees later” referring to the cost of an abortion versus a dowry….

    many of the skeletons in medical schools some 15 or so years ago were from women murdered in India. They were young and unmarried and went in for a secret abortion.. they were told to go to this location and not tell ANYONE. when they got there they were questioned about having told.. if they did, they had the abortion and woke up.. if they had not? they never came out of anesthetic…we found out about it when a suspicious number of “perfect” young female skeletons showed up for sale….

    India is not a safe place for women of any age.

    • Uh . . . what does the age of this issue have to do with it? Nothing. You’ve missed the point.

      The article’s relevance is partly because it’s about an issue that is being reported as news *now,* and it’s being reported by a prominent *Russian* news agency. As you may know, Russia is rapidly destroying itself through rampant, legalized abortion.

    • Uh . . . what exactly does the age of this issue have to do with it? Nothing, really. It seems you’ve missed the point.

      The article’s relevance is partly because it’s about an issue that is being reported as news now, and it’s being reported by a prominent Russian news agency. As you may know, Russia is rapidly destroying itself through rampant, legalized abortion.

  3. Martha says:

    I’m holding my baby girl right now- that’s just so indescribably sad. 🙁 I knew China did this- but India is news to me.

  4. Mary says:

    We have to remember they are a mainly a Pagan society, with Chrisitanity comes awareness of human worth. Sadly, here in America too many are acting Pagan, disregarding God in creation.
    Did you know that part of the reason for the Mass was so that we would NOT forget Christ’s dying for our sins on the cross. Without the Mass, Christ’s crucifiction would have become an ‘event’ in history.
    Time to really live our faith and evangelize more. China truly needs evangelization for Christ, for the one true faith, Catholicism.

  5. Liz says:

    The problem isn’t abortion in and of itself. Sex-selective abortion is a tragic *symptom* of the fact that boys are prized and girls are not. If there was not such a vast discrepancy, sex-selective abortion wouldn’t be a problem because they wouldn’t exist. Making abortion illegal in India isn’t the solution, it’s making a cultural shift where girls and women are valued just as much as boys and men. Sadly, perhaps this will only happen in 10-20 years, when women/wives are in much higher demand because there just aren’t enough of them for every man who wants to get married.

  6. Wesley says:

    This is what happens when you legalize abortion, which is murder. Stop complaining about female feticide, complain about abortion.

    • Yes, I saw this same comment on my FB page, Wesley. But you’re barking up the wrong tree if you think I’m only “complaining about female feticide,” rather than abortion. It’s just a picture to help get the point across.

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