But the officials’ unwelcome gaze settled also on Ms. Dawut’s 11-year-old daughter, she said. One cadre, a 19-year-old man who was assigned to watch the child, would sometimes call Ms. Dawut and suggest taking her daughter to his home. Other women reported having to fend off advances even in the company of their husbands. Ms. Sedik, the Uzbek teacher, was still recovering from a sterilization procedure when her “relative” — her husband’s boss — showed up. Mostly, Ms. Sedik agreed to his requests, terrified that if she refused, he would tell the government that she was an extremist.

Source: New York Times May 10, 2021 09:00 UTC