It feels good that we have come this far and that we may be approaching a conclusion, says Bengt Wernersson to TT.
Almost three years ago, he learned through a DNA genealogist hired by SVT's Uppdrag Granskning that either he or his brother was the father of a daughter they had never met.
It was my brother who called. It came as a shock. My spontaneous reaction was: “What the hell have you done?”
Feeling anger
But it soon became clear that Bengt Wernersson was the father. He had been involved in a fertility investigation, but had never donated sperm.
What you feel is how much you have missed over the years, says Bengt Wernersson about his biological daughter Rebecka, with whom he has a great relationship today.
Emelie Persson, who was also contacted by SVT's Uppdrag granskning after trying to get in touch with her biological father, will also file a claim for damages.
He was very nice and welcomed me with open arms. At the same time, there was a lot of anger about how it happened. All these years that we have lived in parallel without knowing about it. We will never get that back, she says.
A first partial victory came this summer when the European Court of Human Rights ruled that responsibility for the sperm thefts at Halland Hospital must be tested legally, even though it concerns events far back in time.
“Time to take responsibility”
Alexander Ottosson, a lawyer at the Center for Justice and representative for the victims, says that during the day they will submit a claim for damages to the Halland region for four people, two involuntary donors and their respective biological daughters.
We will claim 100,000 kronor per person. The first step is for the region to take a position on this claim. They have until the end of January. If the region does not grant the claim, we will proceed with a lawsuit in the district court, he says.
According to Ottosson, the case is unique and remarkable.
I don't know of any other case where a hospital has set up a system to "steal" sperm in this way. Now is the time for the region to take responsibility for these serious violations.
