Please join us at a public history talk by Dame Margaret Sparrow
who will speak about her book: Rough on Women: Abortion
in 19th Century New Zealand
The women who
had abortions in 19th century New Zealand are all long dead and
little is known of their shortened lives. Most of what we know about them comes
from coroners’ reports and newspaper accounts, and in many cases we know more
about the abortionists than the women themselves. Those who survived had
engaged in criminal activity so they were unlikely to talk about it.
Abortion was not written about or mentioned in their correspondence to family
and friends.
The
information we have is biased towards events with a tragic ending but even this
gives us some insight into the lives of ordinary women. At a time when
contraception was frowned upon by the medical profession women obtained
abortions by whatever means they could, despite the dangers of poisoning,
haemorrhage and infection. Abortionists did their work despite the threat of
long prison sentences.
Dame Margaret has had a long career in general and reproductive health.
She was awarded an MBE in 1987, the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal in
1993, and the DCNZM for services to medicine and the community in 2002, which
in 2009 became a DNZM.
Time and
place: 12.15pm at the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, Level 4, 101-103
The Terrace, Wellington on Wednesday 1 April, 2015.
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