One of the poop nuggets often dragged out by those opposed to international adoption is that western families hoping to bring a child into their fold prompt abductions from birth families in poor countries.
That this sometimes substantiated, but often not, allegation misses the point is clear to anyone who spends time in poverty stricken places, as child abandonment and lots of other nasty stuff are facts of life when disease, starvation, war and other realities abound.
As this report from the BBC illustrates, there is a side to this coin, as well, one that is never mentioned while adoption-bashing: bad people stealing children for profit is not an adoption issue, nor is it adoption-driven, but a crime that carried out all the time without international adoption having a thing to do with it.
In China, a country that has made international adoption more and more difficult as it touts its ability to keep its house in order, thousands of children are being kidnapped and sold to Chinese families in need of boys to fill their ancestral obligations.
The demand for children is driven by a deep-seated preference in southern China for sons, boys to keep the family name alive who have a duty to care for aged parents.
And some parents are prepared to buy a stolen child if they can not have a boy of their own.
As happens with all subjects uncomfortable to government officials in Beijing … over-crowding orphanages, abandoned children, HIV infection rates, child abuse, etc …. speaking publicly is not appreciated.
Some parents say local officials often do not want to deal with cases of stolen children. They say they have been warned to keep quiet and not campaign publicly to find their children lest they disturb social order.
Pointing out that children are often considered commodities neglects the fact that human beings are bought and sold every day in this world. Trafficking and slavery exist in our world, and frequently with no fear of negative consequences for those making money out of the trade.
Removing the option of international adoption does not stop this, nor even slow it down. It does, however, deny the option of family for thousands of kids whose birth parents would wish it.
As long as there are horrid people in the world … and that’s guaranteed … bad things will happen to good people. Sometimes good things can happen, and very often international adoption is a good thing for all the good people involved.
A collection of my short stories:
I'm in this one, too ...
And I'm in here, as well ...
Paradise Preoccupied 
exactly, my friend! I love to see you writing on adoption… the good and the bad…..and the balance that so many in the adoption bashing world can’t seem to find.
Thanks, Tish. I seem to be in a mood again …
Sandra, if there was no corruption in International Adoption, we wouldn’t have people like the Galindo Sisters, Orson Mozes, and many more former Adoption agency owners that have been jailed.
In the last 3 years approximately 30 adoption agencies in the USA have been closed because of fraud.
Lastly, look how many countries have closed or are under investigation for fraud: Vietnam, Krygrzstan, Cambodia, Nepal, Bulgaria, Guatemala, Romania, and many more.
Where there is smoke there is fire.
There is a potential for corruption anywhere humans are involved, Lisa.
So, how about children in those countries that no longer allow an adoption option … many who may have found families now sentenced to a life, albeit often very short, of misery? Been in any poverty stricken countries lately to observe the realities? If the smoke you refer to is allegations of fraud, part of the fire is birth parents who will sell a child as a matter of routine. Is any of this right? Of course not, and in a perfect world nothing like this would ever happen. We don’t live in that world.
Adoption, medicine, law, psychiatry, religion, politics, sales, welfare, teaching…..the list goes on and on of the places where corruption can, and does, exist. Yet only in adoption do people say that the whole system must be eliminated to make sure it doesn’t happen.
When was the last time you heard someone say that we should close all the public schools and homeschool every kid in the country because of a handful of bad teachers? The Roman Catholic Church hasn’t “closed down” because of a handful of bad priests. Should we get rid of doctors and start munching on backyard plants for healing because of those who abuse their power?
100% is unrealistic. Tough laws, strict penalties and zero tolerance for unethical adoption practices makes much more sense….and is much more compassionate for those who are in such desperate circumstances. Chasing after a perfect world only leaves those who need us most without any options.