iblog

Jeanne: Here’s another troubling abortion-related issue in light of Kayleigh’s recent blog.

Female foeticide has long been a problem in a number of Asian countries, especially India. However, researchers and social workers now believe that many UK Asians may be choosing to abort female foetuses rather than experience the ‘shame’ of having a female child.

The study, carried out by Oxford University examined birth statistics within the Asian community between 1990 and 2005. It found that 1,500 girls are missing from national birth data in England and Wales. In addition, the proportion of sons born to Asian women has been steadily increasing since the 1970s. In 1970, statistics suggest that 103 British Asian boys were born for every 100 girls. Between 2000 and 2005, however, the ratio had increased to 114 boys for every 100 girls. The difference may appear small, indeed insignificant, but it is a trend which can only really be explained by female foeticide. Dr, Sylvie Dubec, who was responsible for undertaking this study has underlined the problem posed by sex-selective abortion:

“According to my calculation around 1,500 girls are missing… it’s significant compared to the total number of births.”

However, this is a trend that is likely to continue. In India, the perceived superiority of the male child is a widely held notion. Many British Asian women state that they abort female foetuses in order to avoid pressure back home. Speaking anonymously to the BBC, one lady described her thoughts on learning the sex of her baby:

“Unfortunately, it was another girl. My husband and I thought the burden would probably be too much and the pressure when I got back home. So we decided to terminate.”

As a reflection of the extent of this problem, many British Asian women are willing to go back to their countries of origin simply to abort female foetuses. This is despite the fact that, officially at least, female foeticide has been illegal in India since 1980. However, during the last 25 years some seven million girls have been reported as ‘missing’ from Indian population statistics. Without government action, there is every chance that this sorry tale will be repeated in the UK as well.