When will enough be enough on illegal adoptions?

Question

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/25/wviet125.xml

Vietnamese babies are being kidnapped, bought and stolen from their parents then - in effect - sold for adoption in America, Britain and other Western countries, according to a new investigation.

In some cases hospitals have sent babies to orphanages for adoption after their parents were unable to pay medical bills.

In another, a grandmother sent a baby girl for adoption without informing her parents. The child was reunited with its mother following embassy enquiries.

the above link and experts are from an online article. When i see people question about adoptees wanting better reforms. I have to wonder about stories like this. I mean obviously there is something illegal going on, and tighter guidelines are needed. Not only to protect the child but the adoptive parents and the first families. This is fightening stuff and it needs to stop.

Answer 1

This is why people - like me - who do international adoption have a very serious responsibility to research, ask questions, and check the answers they get.

I thought I did all that, then after we had our son home, I began to hear nasty rumors.  Luckily, I had gotten our son's information when I was over there and had already started a search. I had just wanted to get in touch to let his mom know where he was & that we wanted to stay in contact.  After the rumors I heard, I was terribly afraid that I'd find out our information was wrong, or that our son was kidnapped.

Every single person I spoke to at this time advised me to call off my search - because then I couldn't find out anything bad.  Like hiding from the truth would fix it?   If we found out our son was kidnapped or something, we would have to do what was right, no matter how hard that would be.  Thankfully, when we found his mother (confirmed with DNA test) she set our minds at ease.

There need to be major reforms with international adoptions, but it really won't happen unless prospective adoptive parents take an active role in demanding it, and refuse to do business with suspect orgnizations or systems.

Answer 2

Like every other situation, mankind will never get it right on their own.  God's heavenly kingdom government is the only source that will ever right the crimes of kidnapping, & broken families caused by illegal adoption tactics...  However, it will also do away with the reasons behind legal adoptions, & allow families to happily stay together, in health:

"...Evildoers themselves will be cut off,

But those hoping in Jehovah... will possess the earth...

just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more... The meek ones themselves will possess the earth,

And they will indeed find exquisite delight in the abundance of peace." --Psalm 37:9-11

"...“Look! The tent of God is with mankind...

And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes,

and death will be no more,

neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore.

The former things have passed away." --Revelation 21:3,4

God’s Kingdom, & what it will do for mankind...    http://watchtower.org/e/20060715/article...

Answer 3

When we decide the laws of supply and demand don't apply to human flesh, maybe?

I'm not holding my breath.  )-:

Answer 4

dunno i was thinking the same

Answer 5

Here are some more articles to cover about Vietnam. The Adoptees from there have little voices in the Adoption Reform movement. And I find it very very interesting that the "ethical" group advocating for identity rights for the adoptees in Vietnam didn't start advocating for the Vietnamese adoptees until "adoptions" were being threatened to be shut down again.

To read first hand accounts of Vietnamese Adoptees go to this awesome blog: http://misplacedbaggage.wordpress.com where 3 fabulous Vietnamese Adoptees cover issues from their view.

Also here is an informative blog by an adoptive parent tracking the "Right to Identity" for Vietnamese adoptees called " http://adoptionintegrity.wordpress.com

As well as http://borrowednotes.wordpress.com

he places a handful of great links to Vietnamese Adoptees and resources on there.

Here are some more recent articles on Vietnam and its adoption situation from my google adoption agency alert.

http://www.kentucky.com/267/story/386376...

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5glMED...

http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_90506...

85% of the children coming forward now are "abandoned" which is a sky-rocked from just about 5 years ago when only 32% were found to be abandoned from an agency report.

There isn't any change in social welfare that would "trigger" that kind of sudden splurge in abandonment either.

I am supposed to be working on a show RIGHT NOW on Vietnam and really should be getting back to work. Its going to be awesome and informative.

It DOES need to stop and the US should halt ALL adoptions NOW, I have a feeling they will in the near future THANK GOD.

Sadly, that won't help the children ( but adoptions from there aren't helping the children now ) children will STILL need help ( as they do now, so hopefully people will start addressing the REAL needs in the country and not acting like adoption is the "save all" for the children.

A lot needs to be addressed about this. There are differences in the definition of "abandonment' and there are some agencies saying that "only abandoned children" can be given to them etc.

Laws were implemented in 2006 to combat human trafficking because the numbers were so high so that is definitely a REAL CONCERN that needs NOT to be overlooked and dismissed.

They ( like china) have also implemented a family planning policy in their society. Here is a paragraph I swiped from Adoption Integrity( i think )( i have it in my notes unquoted, but its near other adoption integrity stuff so I'll hope its from there):  

The government continued to implement a family planning policy that urged families to have no more than two children, but the policy emphasized exhortation and education rather than coercion. The government can deny promotions and salary increases to public sector employees with more than two children, and some cases of denied promotion or financial penalties were reported, although the policy did not appear to be enforced in a consistent manner."

This also could be increasing the abandonment rate.

There is SO MUCH to consider, but yes, first and foremost the industry must be stopped to protect the skyrocketing amount of infants and children being used and violated to make money.

Answer 6

I totally agree with you!  There is so much corruption in the international adoption "business" that my husband and I decided to adopt children through the foster care system in our state.  I'm adopted and always knew I would adopt someday regardless of whether I could have birth children or not.  We looked into adopting in Romania, Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakstan.  All have been rittled with corruption including the same child being promised to multiple parents, surprise in-country fees which show up only after a parent and child connect, separation of siblings without adoptive parents knowing, and hiding true diagnoses from potential adoptive parents until they find out by accident and/or the adoption is completed and they find out firsthand (we had friends who adopted kids from Russia not knowing they were sexual predators and that the orphanage was thrilled to get rid of them.)

I appreciate the fact that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are adopting kids from other countries and would like to see them continue to work on reform.  There are so many kids available in our own country, that the key is really checking out the agency you are considering working with and ensuring they have reputable ties and connections with the orphanages and agencies with whom they work.

Thanks for bringing this to light yet again.  :)

Answer 7

I know, so many countries have to shut down their adoption programs due to some dishonest people. Its a hard choice because without adoption, children suffer in horrible conditions in orphanages. But to have your child kidnapped or made to feel forced to sell him/her. That is beyond torture. It doesn't help that agencies caught doing something like this may get fined or loose thier licence. Wow! thats it? What is the incentive to stop this then. Things wont get better until athorities take the responcible parties and have a good old fashion hangin! That will make others think twice.

Answer 8

Yes, I read the same article a day or so ago. When is enough? Never is my guess. There is plenty on this planet for man's need, but not for his greed.

Answer 9

This is why Vietnam adoptions were closed so that the Vietnamese government can address these illegal and unethical practices.  

There are certainly corrupt practices that happen in overseas adoptions and thankfully there is much more education and attention brought to them to ensure that international adoptions are done legally and ethically.

Consulate/Embassy staff are better trained on how to spot discrepencies in the paperwork and other warning signs before issuing US visas that would allow the child to be brought to the US.

Ideally, all countries with international programs would ratify the Hague convention.  It hasn't happened yet, but with more education and attention, it is getting closer.