Steven Mosher was an anthropology student in Stanford University’s PhD program who witnessed how Chinese women were forced to have abortions during fieldwork in China. He’d originally been pro-choice and supported population control but described:
“There were 18 women, all from 5 to 9 months pregnant, and many red eyed from lack of sleep and crying. They sat listlessly on short plank benches arranged in a semi circle about the front of the room, where He Kaifeng, a commune cadre and Communist Party member of many years standing, explained the purpose of the meeting in no uncertain terms. “You are here because you have to “think clear” about birth control, and you will remain here until you do.”…
[After reasoning and bribery failed to convince the women to have abortions]
“None of you has any choice in this matter. You must realize that your pregnancy affects everyone in the commune, and indeed affects everyone in the country.” Then, visually calculating how far along the women in the room work, he went on to ask, “The 2 of you who are 8 or 9 months pregnant will have [an abortion by] cesarean; the rest of you will have a shot which will cause you to abort.” Several of the women were crying by this point.”
Steven Mosher, Broken Earth: the Rural Chinese (New York: Free Press, 1983) 225
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