Comment Line Open Through July 7 For Victims To Voice Position On Eugenics Compensation


RALEIGH – The Governor’s Eugenics Task Force today (June 22) heard from a dozen witnesses who offered wrenching stories of what they or family members endured under the state’s abolished sterilization program. The comments were part of a three-hour Listening Session conducted by the Task Force as part of its continuing effort to identify victims and gather information for a report to the Gov. Bev Perdue, who attended part of the session.

Task Force Chair Dr. Laura Gerald announced that the board will continue to take comment from victims through a 24-hour telephone comment line for two weeks. Victims may record a message up to five minutes in duration by calling 919-807-4273 by 5 p.m. Thursday, July 7.

“The Task Force is grateful to the victims and family members who attended today’s public Listening Session but recognizes that some victims were unable to attend – and others are just learning about the process,” said Charmaine Fuller Cooper, Executive Director of the N.C. Justice for Sterilization Victims Foundation, which staffs the Task Force. “They want to give everyone who was affected by this program an opportunity to submit their comments.”
The purpose of the Listening Session – and now, the comment line – is to give victims an opportunity to talk about their experience and state what they believe would be appropriate compensation. The Task Force is required to issue a preliminary report to the Governor by Aug. 1 and a final report by Feb. 1, 2012.
Several victims and family members told emotional stories about how the sterilization procedure was misrepresented to them as reversible or even as an appendectomy. Many spoke of their longing to have children, their love of step-children, and their shame and anger at having been sterilized against their will.
The event was streamed live by WRAL. The program has been archived on its website.
If you believe you are or know someone who may have been affected by the program and would like to verify your status and access your patient files, call the Sterilization Victims Foundation’s toll-free hotline 1-877-550-6013 for information, or visit the Foundation’s website:www.sterilizationvictims.nc.gov to download a verification request form. Foundation staff is available to assist callers from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday