Perm legislator offers to take children away from mothers as alternative to abortion
Regional legislator Oleg Postnikov's plan would involve persuading women who choose abortion to give birth instead. Authorities would then provide support during pregnancy, including financial assistance and beds at health resorts. After delivery, the state would take custody of the child.
"At this point, the woman has made her decision, and we cannot influence her. Therefore, we should pay her to maintain her health and give her the opportunity to stay in a sanatorium. Then we can take the child, and perhaps the mother will change her mind and become the parent the child needs," Postnikov said at a meeting of the legislature.
His idea arose while discussing a report on the demographic situation in the Kama region, where more than 6,000 abortions were carried out in 2022.
Russian lawmakers and officials have previously floated measures that could be seen as reproductive violence. For instance, in 2021, LDPR leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky suggested buying infants from women wanting to have an abortion for 500,000 rubles ($5,972).