Ripped from the headlines…
US adoptions rise sharply, so does related graft
“There are tremendous stresses that come with building a family through adoption,” Sandra Hanks Benoiton, the mother of two adopted children from Cambodia, told AFP.
“Situations like the present one in Guatemala make things much worse,” she added, after police earlier this month seized a children’s home run by an American in the tourist area of Old Guatemala, where officials said nearly 50 boys and girls were victims of an illegal adoption ring.
“Imagine the horror that comes when a parent learns that their child-and these children are as much theirs as any gestating infant-has been removed at gunpoint from what they have come to accept as a safe environment (and) transported to who-knows-where,” Benoiton said, an American who lives in the Seychelles.
“Add to that the possibility that all this could be happening for nothing more than political maneuvering, and you’re beginning to get the picture.” International adoptions by US families have more than tripled since 1992, when 6,472 children were brought into the United States, according to data compiled by the State Department.
Lauren Gold was told to expect to pay around $20,000 (14,000 euros) to adopt a child from Ukraine.
“We took out a loan against our home to pay for the adoption,” said Spurbeck, who also has three biological children.
But after numerous battles with corrupt officials, both in Ukraine and the United States, the Spurbecks abandoned their dream.
“Some countries have systems in place that cause these little ones to stumble on the road to being adopted. They make so many roadblocks and hindrances, and the price is exorbitant,” Spurbeck told AFP.
Where is the “graft”?
Is it in US officials putting pressure on countries to have more transparent processes – knowing full well that it is nearly impossible to do so?
Is it in foreign officials raiding orphanages?
Is it in officials asking for extra fees?
Is it in agencies that make promises they can not keep?
Is it in fees that are so high many families can not afford to adopt while orphans continue to live in squalor?
Who is responsible?
3 Responses
Another great post…I don’t know who is responsible for the “graft” (probably everyone you mentioned and more besides), but it made me think. I’ve gotten so used to how expensive the whole adoption process is, so its only when it’s pointed out to me by posts like this or from friends that I stop to think about why international adoption is soooo expensive while orphans live in horrible conditions – making me part of the problem, as a PAP who is willing to pay exorbitant fees in order to hopefully bring another child into our family. I just don’t think that the situation will change as long as families are willing to pay – I have to hope that I’m doing something positive by working with an ethical agency that doesn’t bribe officials to procur babies.
Well, isn’t that the $64,000 questions. 😀 And I wish I had the answer. There are layers upon layers of people involved in an international adoption…from PAPs to orphanage workers to agency reps to gov’t officials…and we are all responsible.
As ugly as it is to admit, I don’t believe there will ever be a 100% transparent adoption program in any country. Money talks and even a highly ethical agency cannot always be completely certain just where those high foreign fees go when it leaves their hands. And as long as PAPs are willing to foot the bill the cycle will continue. All we can really do is research to find an ethical agency and ask the tough questions and keep our eyes and ears open for anything suspect. And then, of course, afterwards voice our experiences for other PAP’s benefit.
The sad truth is that there will never be a 100% transparent anything in any country, and to even think to demand adoption be the one area that must be is to neglect the damage widespread corruption in every branch of many governments causes … including that in the US, which also has serious ethical issues when it comes to children and adoption. It is also an unhelpful pie-in-the-sky elitist take that does nothing to correct what might actually be correctible.
Governments are dirty machines and the people running them have dirty hands … that’s simply a fact. Children suffer, always, and this isn’t going to change any time soon.
Taking personal responsibility for our own ethics in adoption is a huge contribution, as is involving ourselves in the bigger picture as we can.