love in the time of poverty
Left Party Demands Free Contraception for the Poor
Nobody ever claimed that being on welfare was fun. But now Germany's Hartz IV social benefit package is being blamed for robbing the needy of one of life's simplest pleasures, one which is traditionally supposed to be free: sex.
"Poverty is overshadowing people's love lives," says K Kipping, left wing Left Party's spokeswoman for social policy. Kipping is demanding free birth control for welfare recipients. She claims that the number of unwanted pregnancies among Germany's lowest-earning women is on the rise. "They simply can't afford the coil or the pill," she said.
"Poverty is overshadowing people's love lives," says K Kipping, left wing Left Party's spokeswoman for social policy. Kipping is demanding free birth control for welfare recipients. She claims that the number of unwanted pregnancies among Germany's lowest-earning women is on the rise. "They simply can't afford the coil or the pill," she said.
As an initial measure, Kipping wants prescription birth control to be made free to recipients of the Hartz IV welfare package. But in fact she wants much more. "Ultimately, birth control should be made free for everybody," she said. "Family planning should not be a function of socio-economic status."
