Inquiry into forced adoptions

Kerry Smith
February 5, 2011
Issue 
867
News
Greens senator Rachel Siewert.

The federal senate has agreed to an inquiry into the practice of forcible adoption in Australia between the 1940s and ’80s, supporting a motion by Greens Senator Rachel Siewert on November 15.

β€œToday’s vote starts to recognise the suffering that so many people have endured as a result of forced adoption policies,” Siewert said. β€œThere is no doubt that many women were treated very badly as a result of these policies. Young and vulnerable mothers were pressured into adoptions, and often had to surrender their newborn children without being allowed to see them.

β€œFor many mothers and children, the emotional and psychological damage of these policies continues, and will be felt for the rest of their lives. We must do all we can to address this.”

Calls for an inquiry into, and apology to the victims of forced adoption have been mounting on the wake of campaigns for justice for the Stolen Generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Many of the pretexts used for stealing babies from Aboriginal people were also used to steal babies from non-Aboriginal people, particularly those who were economically or socially marginalised.

Typically, the victims of forced adoption were young, unmarried women and their babies. Reactionary ideologies that cast women who had premarital sex as having sinned justified both a cruel official policy and unsympathetic treatment by medical staff and bureaucrats.

Submission to the inquiry must be sent to or Senate Community Affairs Committee, Department of the Senate, PO Box 6100, Canberra 2600, before February 28. Notes to help prepare a submission are available at www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/wit_sub/index.htm .

Australia

Comments

Anonymous replied on

To Anon 11.26 Sunday 11/12/2012 Your stories about generatuions staying together, families with the wherewithal to keep your infants was moving and I liked reading your joy. as well as your sadness at what happened to forced adoptions targets, The one parting of ways is this: I know of an adolescent who could bend but not break and has a sleeley will yet despite all this under the circumstances out of her control she was drugged so heavily and thereby stupified to a place she calls shock in extreme and no consciousness she signed papers to lose her baby under these. Not only this they wouldn;t allow her any food until and unless she signed that form for Consent to lose what she had no idea was just that. She was virtually starved for two whole weeks except for a piece of Christmas cake on Christmas day at Salvation Army Hospital, that alone even without the drugs imposed whilst she fought would weaken anyone, yet it didn't weaken her will, the unprescribed drugs and combined controlling by abuse of the givers of these did. If if weren't otherwise she as you and your mum would now be able to see their very young grandchildren too; they would be able to say as you we weren't disturbingly and disgracefuly pressured to extent of no choice whatsoever. The son this woman gave birth too looks almost the same age as the biological mother and identical to the biological father. At a reunion lunch the waitress asked the young son would he like to order for his girlfriend when she was in fact his mother. You see the mother was very young highly vulnerable and not given absolutely any opportunity to fight the systems then; steeleu will or otherwise. All was taken from her without her knowing or consent. I like your story think it's a relief stpry and good one, except it doesn't deal with the Very profound traumaic loss of forced adoptions. I;'m glad you didnlt have to go through waht my friend did for sure. If someone as my friend with a sreeley will all her life could lose under those extreme gyno. and maternity hospital staff and abhorrent conditions I'd say your comment reflects how your own mothers parents and your self didn't coerce anyone by foul means tp extreme, and nor did the hospital staff or social workers and whoever else on both occasions. With all this goes my joy for you and your family not being part of the writhe and treachorous forced adoptions scandal. Enjoy your loving family it's certainly an extended one we need more of these, and it;s commendable you see how horribly harsh it was for those who have gone through what you didn't have to. How we wish not all had the extreme circumstances encouched on them such as the ones my friend and tens of thousands of others did. You didn't lose family ties they did tragically. Jesse

Anonymous replied on

Forced adoptions, all tortures have nothing to do with being stronger or weaker.This doesn't come into the equation. There's actually no such thing as this. Forced adoptions happened no matter what character and will the recipients had. Good on one family for keeping their geneology but what does that have to do with forced adoptions. Whose better than who. It's sad when these comparisons so not applicable are made. Probably to say how fair to one or two Crown Street was, don't think for a minute they were except for that few unmarried women and their babies who didn't lose their roots.

Anonymous replied on

I've now read extensively and have all the news clippings as well as the media reviews on Senate Inquiry into Forced Adoptions. I've watched many television shows, some leaving me cold, others as ABC disurbing and more understanding. For the damaging effects forced or coerced adoptions have had on all the indivdiual targets it's time to make amends. I'm fighting for justice for these people who were unjustly shamed, guiltmongered, humiliated and alienated not only from their own first families also by the governments corporations and churches involved. This collection of evidence I have amounts to a thesis. To justice and healing for the targets of coerced adoptions. Akira

Anonymous replied on

I say to the Anon from Sunday good on your dad for having the humanity to support you during your adolescent pregnancy, what a decent family you have. It's relevant for this reason if no other. I know a lawyer in a chambers who works and overworks and lost her baby when she was sdolescent. She appears like the altogether woman of town, attractive, appealing, without a doubt. Cold to every advance or friendliness from anyone except my husband and I as far as I know. Beneath the surface she's carrying a weight that makes her workaholic lifestyle feel too similar to the heavy weight she had to carry when she was sixteen years old unmarried and about to give birth. I've heard the whole story and the details are shocking by anyone's standards. The difference from your family Anon is that her family as well to do as they were sent her off to the country where she stayed until time for the maternity hospital, birth of her already pre-planned adopted baby. The woman didn't pre-plan the adoption the society did and her parochial parents who cared about what the neighbours thought did it all without her knowledge or even her thoughts or feelings about it all. Shameful. Tragic and traumatic for this woman who'se got it all with a lot missing. Society's role models, solciety's attitudes and values come from the media and governments as well as the church. Too much hype back then not so far away about whether one was married or not, rediculous, an adolescent with a baby kicking inside. The churchs certainly had more appeal then, more parishioners than now. Main point is you were supported by your father who could ward off the nasties at friends'home' the nasties at the hospital, the bureaucrats and terror mongers and actively malicious wrong doers, when this woman I know was brutalised until she had to pretend all along and still does this 'I'm happy see my smile and note my position' She's still pretending, and playing a role only. When I asked her why she didn't put a submission in as her story is too obnoxious, and I;'d checked to see if it was there, her response was "I don't trust them, do you think they care?" I understood from several vantage points most of all from seeing how coerced adoption had impacted on her so deeply, traumatically and causing her to avoid everything except her career. Too sad for her and her family. She knows she can now litigate, and I'm unsure what will happen from here on in however I jhope for her there are public apologies. The family are not my favourites never could be. Well done for Sunday's Anon's dad being supportive and there for you, so human and how it should have been for all these young ones.

Anonymous replied on

When you look at Forced adoptions as a professional you see how helpless the targets were whilst every ment to be authority abused their power. The helplessness is now heightened for the world as we are fiorced to hear about different but nonetheless tortures, as say has been dealt to David Hicks, just different forms of making the target feel and be helpless in major ways. The way to not be involved in this totally unconscionable conducts of Australian and international governments, crude far right churchs, and corporations including big media is to stand outside of all corruption chaos and abuse. It belongs to them not you.. All the governments in Australia, all the religious organisations and the staff who didn't speak up are guilty of very profound and disgusting Abuse of power. Consequences happen. Just you wait and see. For the targets of forced adoptions you will receive your reparations and rewards for the ability to have withstod this horror of all the tragic suffering inflicted by unconscionable who abuse power in vicious ways which are flagrantly disgraceful. To al lwho face feeling powerless, don't allow your selves to be victims of this, you have personal power which politicians and neocons don't even know exists. I'm with you in more ways than one, and proactive. We're all, a lot of us on the case. Lawyers of conscience

Anonymous replied on

Trust all who read the comment 5.27 Wednes. don't misunderstand the true meaning. No comparisons in one vital sense at all, couldn't be, we have social consciences and deepest empathy. It's the timing, a lot on the alert about another social injustice as you at 91ΧΤΕΔΒΫΜ³ Weekly would know. All the best to targets of forced adoptions, though they happened yesterday, and things are happening today, possibly tonight, very soon anyway. It's important NOT to ever feel helpless as we are not. The powers that be so want us to feel this way highlighted at present. Cheers

Anonymous replied on

Some people see the whole picture including the nuances and anon whoever she or he is does with the comment about helplessness, and including powerlessness in circumstances where coercion is that intolerable as forced adoptions and the like. It's important to to also say no to all bully's as their in high positions even as others often do their work, and in terrorising ranks amongst the people who forever want the most of the international cake. Thanks Good work on this social issue 91ΧΤΕΔΒΫΜ³ Weekly. Lis

Anonymous replied on

It seems one corporation are living up to well known corporate tacs and this being the Salvation Army. See National Post about a day ago now. They have not as yet shown the grace to apologise to all those mothers and their infants targeted for forced adoptions remaining silent and out of the picture whilst they do their "Internal Investigations". Part of this is "Probing" people who go to them about their stories. Some call this corporate lack of accountability, though astonishingly the Salvation Army have told one enquiring man "We didn't know about all this". Are they as "Untouchable" as Dr. Geoffrey Rickarby has quoted as saying in his Parliamentary Inquiry Submission (See Excerpts of this)? Whatever, they as the others face consequences if they continue to discount their huge role in Coerced Adoptions in Australia. Al Carmichael

Anonymous replied on

For those interested in further insights into forced adoptions ABC Four Corners also have a transcript written by Geoff Thompson titled Social Worker tells of forced adoptions (ABC Four Corners updated 27.02.2012 In hope the Report eventuates in an abundance of authentic apologies and recompense to all who have been damaged by these devastating and tragic forced adoptions. They are as Senator Moore said now written in Australian history, a history that doesn't need repeating. We need to move on from repressive coercive policies and practices regarding all social injustices and for this one there's been some movement, more to come. Marty

Anonymous replied on

It's clear by now to all thinking people forced adoptions were a desperate social injustice. It's clear to all conscionable the Australian Senate Inquiry into forced adoptions has been a long time coming as has been the Report. Prior to this Australian Inquiry and report overseas in UK the PM David Cameron (who now wants to sell roads) made the statement loud, and not clear by reasonable mindfulness "This country MUST become more pro-adoption". The extract is found on the following site www.telegraph.co.uk/family/8859845/David-cameron otherwise under The Telegraph UK Pro-Adoption. Whilst selling object is a done thing, I'm unsure what on earth about selling a country's roads but sounds too far gone, but babies no, they're not for sale via adoptions increasing or any other means. I know that's over there found it on another site and was repelled. There's some connection and it's large revenue. Other people's babies are big business, that's a tragic reality given what has been shown to us about forced adoptions in Australia. Desperate measures don't allow thinking time to understand the repercussions on individuals families and societies. I live in hope the Australian Telegraph and All news media including Green left Weekly don't lose sight of human life as a priority and looking after our cherished families of origins whether we become autonomous and move on and away still remaining significant. Mothers and their babies have a human right to justice with forced adoptions and also have human rights when involved in any adoptions. It's a tragedy not a comedy or something we look at as if "this will bring in the corporate bucks needed". I'm not anti-adoption extreme, I'm concerned desperate measures are returning to remedy economics examples where they don't belong. We're a bit warmer here in Australia aren't we? In hope Dwyer and co.

Anonymous replied on

The Senate Inquiry into forced adoptions has now finalised it's Report. It's a report that is a long and a long time time coming after an avalanche of terribly tragic stories of emotional hardship and contemptuous treatments by people meant to be caring and compassionate. When do the personnel handling the Report start the recommendations rolling. I'm sad to hear this inquiry has caused rifts between differing adoption support groups. I'm sad to hear one is adamant an apology is not enough. An apology is not enough that's right yet the Report recommends more than a superficial apology. I keep reading about forced adoptions and have beside me a partner who was adopted and has gone through some terrible times in life due to the trauma associated with her adoption, it all has to come to a place where those that think big business only stop and start thinking about others, and those who crony in groups and wont allow any adoptions whatsoever start to also think outside that square. Best wishes go to all like my partner who is finding this Inquiry and the Report more than difficult to accomodate along with her responsibilities and rights. Human rights should be looking at this where are they and why haven't they looked at the rediculous discrimination that happened. Unwed did not and never has meant not good to parent. It denies the churches marriage fees, that's about it isn't it. I think Greens Senator Rachel Siewert has done a lot of work for this inquiry and the sufferers who went through it what they've done it's enormous, starting way back, now the politicians should do the work of making the Report for real. It's pointless to come this far and leave everyone in anguish or suffering further because they now have more flashbacks than ever. My partner has some issues and she's dealing with them professionally. The Politicians and corporations, Churchs and Governments may need to deal with the Report by this time or soon. Jack

Anonymous replied on

Prenant, birthing and unmarried women & girls then and now have and do face ongoing discrimintaions. It hasn't stopped, and largely because of church much so, and then the governments. Who has power over who in Australia. Churchs and corporations [often one and the same] have lot of power over governments and this is nothing new. Why do we see 'marital status' as one amid few numbers of key areas of just policy; complaints and investigations of the Anti-Dicsrimination Boards in Australia, and the Human Rights Commissions of Australia. Also, I think whoever writes of 'the White Stolen Generation' inadvertantly, unconsciously or otherwise throws a fractured light on Forced Adoptions of Babies in Australia. There are horrendous discriminations in both, very noticeable ones, there are some similarties, yet most of all Forced Adoptions is different in many ways. Both of course unconscionable. Both show all the world how negative prejudiced a lot of Australia has been and still is. Thanks and good luck with the released Report for all affected by Forced Adoptions. Abi(gail)

Anonymous replied on

Forced adoptions is all about bullys hurting the vulnerable. It's depsicable and needs reparation S.

Anonymous replied on

The Report could be a stagnant and useless one unless someone like the new incoming leader of the Greens Christine Milne gives it a nudge. Coerced Adoptions or Forced Adoptions a very serious social injustice and isn't to be trifled with. The Report has had little media deserving much more. Where is any media on The Report actually. If you read this Christine Milne [Greens Leader incoming] consider this request for that Report being for real, not just words on paper. Sad to hear Bob Brown is leaving also, what a great man. Thanks and best to the forced adoptions mums and children. Willis

Anonymous replied on

Apparently they are going to start the ball rolling with their Report findings after 29th May 2012, that is 3 months after the Report from the Senate Inquiry into Forced Adoptions came out. It's all a horrible time in Australian History. The Salvation Army have a lot to answer for. They are one of the first who should be apologising alongside the governments all of them. I want to say to all the mums and children who were treated abominably and it seems to me tortured by their experiences, you deserve all that's in that report and some more. Violence against women and mothers in particular in this case is zero tolerance in where I come from. There should be zero tolerance of violence against women and birth mums and their babies for gods sake always. T.J.

Anonymous replied on

The Report into the Senate Inquiry into Forced Adoptions has a submission for the Senate Inquiry that shows more than one truth that the Forced Adoptions were under the influences of the Commonwealth Government. The Report however denies this and other truths and states it was porbably not influential in forced adoptions, and contravenes the truths found. The Womens Electoral Lobby and others found evidence that indisputably shows the Commonwealth did have large influence of Forced Adoptions. What are the people of Australia to trust and believe with all this. When will the Commonwealth Government be accountable for it's role as well as all the State and Territories roles in this horrendous social injustice, as well as others past and present. I commend the Greens for showing real leadership with this inquiry and the Report. The Recommendations are to be implemented as of 29th May 2012. Whatever way the progressive governments will not allow truths found to lay dorment. The cat is out of the bag and the people want social justice with this and other atrocious social injustices in Australia. Truth not only surfaces it ultimately has effects that eliminate unconscionable conduct from governments, churchs and corporations who do such massive wrongs or dismiss truth, This has all happened before and will happen with this too. Abi(gail)

Anonymous replied on

The Report that has come out on the 29th February is moving in many ways. I am appreciative of all the hard work the Senators from all political parties did and how they were all with Empathy, and one who shone was of course the Spokesperson who instigated it all senator Rachel Siewert. Her words resonate even as I write this, very human, very reason-able. very sincere, so caring. What a wonderful politician and person. As were many if not most of the Senators, all really. I want to write briefly about the Discrimination that still happens despite the news media coverage of this Inquiry and now the Report . Latter (the Report) is in the National Library, but unavailable at my local libraries, and not available for a lot of people to access who don't live near the National library, this isn't so good, but can be rectified if more copies go out there into the public domain. The Discrimination hapens whenever anyone tells certain negative biased or ignorant, mindles people who can't handle any kind of psychological disabilities such as reactive depression or accumulative p.t.s.d., and there are some birth mothers probably some birth fathers also who have disclosed such diagnoses only to be fired from their workplaces after these admissions. That's discrimination and it is happening today to some people who have disclosed the causes and effects of the trauma of forced adoption, even without mentioning anything about their experiences of forced adoptions to their employers or whoever. The labels are for cans, and do not mean someone is mentally ill, as they are in fact with psychological injuries, which, with the right fit analyst and a lot of time can be cured to a godd extent. These "labels" also are not rigid, as each individual is unique, yet many would have flashbacks, trouble with panic attacks (not that anyone but themselves can see) and similar episodes, not aggressions or anti-social behaviours. We've began to address the discrimination of unmariied mothers and fathers losing their infants to coerced adoptions, and the causes and effects, and now need to understand labels can be destructive if they are discriminated against also. Reactive depression, a known from experiences of very profound trauma loss is effects of extreme bullying and very tragic loss, and accumulative p.t.s.d. is caused and has effects from very profound trauma and loss which when not dealt with at the time of trauma becomes accumulative, Neither are mental illnesses they are psychological injuries, and the nonsense and discrimination that some employers and service providers as well as others place on targets of forced adoptions when they find out anyone has one or both of these can be devastating, An example I found was the woman on Indy news media who lost her job after she disclosed she had a form of depression (without telling the employer is was from reliving yet again the trauma of her forced adoption loss) via a doctors certif. for one day off from work to have counselling. The Discriminations have to stop and people who fear psychological injuries or mental illness may have to face their fears of these conditions which are not bully-sociopath sicknesses, far from it, they are not "catchy" and there are laws now via the Anti discerimination Boards in Australia which don't allow discrimination on the basis of a psychological injury/disablity, as there should have been with the status of unmarried mothers times of forced adoptions. Thanks 91ΧΤΕΔΒΫΜ³ Weekly Cran To correct the ignorance,

Anonymous replied on

This "Nationalisation" of forced adoption as in a "National Framework" is so wrong. They did this with our original people and look at the bungle there. There is a difference between Forced adoptions and the Stolen Generations, and there is also a need for all the truly free thinkers to stand up and be counted. Nationalising what is for each and every individual in the collective that is Forced Adoptions is not the right way to go even if they will fund the reparations. They/Government fund universities to, yet they are not "nationalised". The Report is to me only fair. Geoffrey Academic

Anonymous replied on

The outrageous fact is the only way anyone can access the report to take home and read it all (323 pages) is by going to the one and only ACADEMIC library as in the National Library of Australia. This is outrageous. The Report is about and for all Australians and should be available in as many libraries as possible. For now if you want to get a copy all you can do is go to your local library and pay a hefty $13.00 for inter-library loan, because it'd from an ACADEMIC library. This is pure elitism and unjust. Demanding this be rectified. Every Australian library should be able to access the Report on the Senate Inquiry into Forced adoptions, and without this taking time and costing monies as in $13.00 at least, just for the read of it. Outrageous. As if this is all about academics and as if academics have had any if any at all input into the creative aspects of Forced Adoptions, very few indeed. All Australians are entitled to have informed material available top them from all Australian libraries, not one or two academic ones. What utter intolerable discrimination yet again. Bronwyn

Anonymous replied on

I'm a Clinical Psychologist and Cran is correct. The terminology used in adoptions is out of date. In this instance the birth mother was further abused and discriminated against on grounds of a disability. I also think this misperception that forced adoption tragets need help because they're "sick" is obscene. The are suffering a psychological injury or for some several and are not psychopaths. The language of adoption is well noted for being negative baised against the birth mothers, I've written a whole paper on this and as yet have not had it published. All my best respect for the people who pioneered this social cause and all the people who made submissions and equally all those who couldn't as they were too bereft or unfit in other ways (but not sick or lacking courage). The Australian Government of all levels has a lot to answer fo, we weren't China then and aren't China now. Jenny

Anonymous replied on

Bottom Line Between the politicolegal & the print news media the public discourse grew to assume and print out and dissemintae untruths wrongly that the birth mums and their babies were shameful. All the governments of the of Australia and associated adoption hospitals and agencies now have an imperative need to lift that wrongly placed shame off these people. The Report needs ro not only be implemented also to be implemented respectfully taking this into account. Take back the shame that damaged many thousands of lives and as we've now discovered destroyed altogether far too many. In the name of "Nuclear families for infertile couples" and a lot of this is from gathered material from many papers and magazines of the time as well as from Kornitzers well written article. Neville and Marilyn

Anonymous replied on

Not being left or right as they have become too alike, I still find this 91ΧΤΕΔΒΫΜ³ Weekly always fronting with truths and articles that reveal what actually happened, not spin. I just saw 'Forced Adoption was like medical rape, says WA victim' from 720 ABC Mornings today Perth progamme, and it was shocking, just like all the things I've some time ago known about, and recently the Senate Inquiry into Forced Adoptions and the Report. The person who wrote about the Report not being able to educate the mass of Australian public I second that, as to download it as I was about to try at the local library would have cost me $64.20 (that's 2 20cents per page there), and I wont afford to pay this even for a Report I want to read at my own pace and via book form, not online. (our printer has gone broke, and is presently being replaced at work). (I'm medically not able to read online that lengthy anything unfortunately.) Anzac day just passed and all I could think of was the unjust wars, the 2nd world war and Vietnam, and low and behold Forced Adoptions for some odd reason to. It's probably that's it's topical and that I now understand a lot about the ways of discrimination akin to a war against unmarried mothers and their babies at a certain time in Australian history. That history is now on Hansard and it's never too late to make a new history by implementing the solid and more respectful recommendations of the Report. We'll agree to disagree about any 'National Frameworks' unless that's purely word speak for 'national' 'what a word that, as I've seen first hand the atrocious 'National Framework' for our original people in the Northern Territory where I visited as a law student and know it's all totally unjust. Law student and concerned citizen of Australia ACT

Anonymous replied on

If the 4 Corners show was for real and it was, give the mothers all of them, apologies and compensation. Take it out of the wealthy benevolent society's mass accumulation of property and moneys gained under guise of a "charity" how crude is that. Take it out of the Salvation Army's trust fund where everyone whose anyone gives them lots of money to help. Both these organisations damaged rather than helped their clients.Take the fund ng out for compensation from government funds that have been stashed away as we all know the Australian government is not poor. Give it to those struggling or on the margins who lost to forced adoptions, it's their due, they lost and paid a hefty price now it's time for the malicious who did wrong to pay their price. Fair is fair. They need to pay up now. I send the victims my respect and think you now deserve to live your lives free of all the shaming and blaming they placed entirely on your maternal lap. Reg L.

Anonymous replied on

Three cheers Reg L I second your comment to this forced adoption fiasco. I know how much these corporate charities are getting from a work experience I;ve had a C.E.O. from an ethical company. I never heard of such a thing as Forced adoptions until I saw it on 4 Corners and it's astonishing it has been kept secret for all these years. Secrets that kept these women down and ruined their lives as was shown on 4 corners. From what I've read and heard from my friends and family this was vast numbers of mothers and babies and I can imagine a few dadsthat wanted to be with their adolescent girlfriends. It's a tragedy, they needed support as every one needs it when their in vulnerable or with this frightening situations. My son is married to a woman who was adopted out and we're now trying to find out if she was one of the babies they took from mothers by force. It's been difficult trying to talk with some of the organisations we know of who had her in care when she was born. If it's the case she was one of the babies from Forced adoptions we stand up and go to court, on principle and for the mother and father as well, on principle. Jim

Anonymous replied on

There's no way in aware Australia they can get away with doing this all over again to our most disadvantaged. They're certainly trying it on though. It wont work a second time around, too many are outraged at this rampant out in the open now tragic injustice. My best wishes as our hearts goes out to the victimised in this atrocious history of Australia's. Corey and Jess

Anonymous replied on

We want justice for each and every biological mum, the dads who admitted they were the dads, and their babies. We want Justice! we want Justice! We want Justice! The Report is not all there is to Justice, there's actions needed to remedy all the ill will in particular toward the biological mums, thereby their babies. No more taking anything away from people in vulnerable or disadvantaged circumstances. Australian's as a whole are bigger than that crass conduct from so called officials. Admitting wrongs past and present is commendable and time to do that. We want Justice! We want Justice! we Want Justice for forcoed adoption biological mums. dads and their babies. Randwick (Musicians Co-op)

Anonymous replied on

I know this topic is filled with grief and loss and I as a natural parent/mother have found great solace in other writers who I've delved their writings and found jewels. For all those who are suffering, and yes I suffer too, yet see some light, I wish you to know we are all interconnected, there's no doubt about this [I've found it in synchronous seredipitous experiences in my life, almost like little miracles of wonder amidst depths of darkness and pain] in ways logic and reason cannot tell us. The following is from Elizebeth Kubler Ros who has written so much about loss not least and not only about death loss. "The most beautiful people we have known (and know) are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known Loss, and have found their way our of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen." As I've said so often along my own journey I wish every single one who has lost to forced adoptions, I am one of you, a transcendence, and forgiveness in their/our hearts, supportive people who care and show that care in the most courageous and loving ways, to aid your movement forward with enthusiam for our each and every one of us, and this only one life on these fragile earth. Somthing so beautiful is at work which serves to nurture each of our individial journeys, though it brings us challenges which seem insurmountable and beyond all human comprehension. [For those who think we have other lives beyond this one only, this still applies, it's just different.] As Anais Nin also said "You are the creative force - go with the force." May the Report on the senate Inquiry into Forced adoptions bare fruits and caring, compassionate and sensitive ones, showing real beauty in those who follow it through, and may healing happen for all so each and every forced adoption target finds ways out of the depths. All my best Creative and warmest regards Pamela Bridgefoot Pan Melos Galerie

Anonymous replied on

At no time did anyone come to my aid to offer advice, counselling or anything to do with adoption whenh I was in the position of losing my baby to adoption. I signed under duress because no one told me the paperwork was consent form, and no one told me what I was doing or losing. 4 Corners make out as if Counselling happened. I want themto tell the public the truth not propaganda, or what happened for the few, that there was NO COUNSELLING, No Support, No one advising us all about what was going on. ABC need to be truthful, I lawys thought they were 'till now. What's happening to one of our most independent usually media? Thanks Brenda

Anonymous replied on

Something we found that's disturbingly true. " Adoption practice works on the premise that, in order to save the child one must first destroy the mother" by Dian Wellfare, Founder of Origins Inc. Micj & Julie

Anonymous replied on

Brenda's comment tells a lot about the illegal practice of taking consents under duress. I have found most forced adoptions victims had this happen. It's not legal for a lawyer to ask you to sign any document without he or she explaining fully and to your comprehension the contents of what you're signing, and neither is it legal for any professional who was meant to be there for you in a dutiful and professional capacity. I'm outraged at forced adoptions and what the victims are now going through as well as what they went through at the times of these horrific events. In hope Solicitor

Anonymous replied on

The Senate Inquiry into Forced Adoptions has a lot of useful comment streams about forced adoptions on Indymedia. They recently added a new narrative to the original. When you go there now it states: This page cannot be found, words to that effect. Essentially Indymedia had 8,568 reads and is an invaluable educational and informative comments thread, that has been deleted. What is that all about. It's not relevant to Greens Left Weekly, except for the fact truths were on the comment threads and have been whitewashed. Someone or two don't want to have any ongoing discussion or debate about this large social injustice, and now it's left to 91ΧΤΕΔΒΫΜ³ Weekly to tell the public what is going on with the Senate Inquiry now a Report and the follow through. Such an obviously popular news topic to be wiped out like this is very strange, undemocratic and censoring in fact taking away another main source for people to have their voices raised about this topical and unfinished social cause. So they've abolished that thread, and stream of comments whilst no National formal public apology has been given to the victims of forced adoptions, and many have had input that has enabled a diverse lot of viewpoints to be expressed. This is ludicrous and against the voice of the people, as one grass roots news media totally wipes away grass roots information. My colleagues and I rely on 91ΧΤΕΔΒΫΜ³ Weekly and Indymedia for informed factual material for our assignments and now one has disappeared. What's this all about? Best wishes to the victims of forced adoptions. We heard you Randwick Musicians Co-op

Anonymous replied on

You and Indymedia are keeping us all informed about what is happening with Forced Adoptions in Australia, with gratitude. Indymedia, another news media now has the header 'Forced Adoptions' for all comment streams and info. The original narrative is still there, however they now have an updated one also, with new title: Forced Adoptions - "Senate Inquiry into forced adoptions found barbaric, horrific abuses." We all [most of us] know this, and it wasn't found simply via any inquiry. Outrages about another huge injustice, remain cautiously vigilant something will change for the better, latter re our own and beloved Julian A. Another Rally for Julian ar Angel Place (123 Pitt Street Sydney) 21st. Sorry there are 2 in one horrific injusrices, understand they should be seperate. All our best Thom & family

Anonymous replied on

The Report was finalised end of May and now we're aware there may be a lot more that will surface regarding Forced adoptions however there isn't humane reason to stall the Report. The Australia public are now well aware of the horrific findings in and outside that Report. There now needs to be justice for all those who were affected by Forced adoptions. The mums need to have their identities established as being the mothers and losing under extremely profound traumatic curcumstances. There was nothing about this in the budget, seems the PM possibly didn't 'get it' or we don't as yet know what the attorney General and colleagues are doing with this. There should be informed news media about this so there is responsible follow through. There are millions of Australians asking for reparations from governments, church's, corporations and the vast maternity hospitals that as yet have not admitted the involvement. Where there's been this kind of mass and flagrant social injustice there needs remedies. I wish the victims all the very best in their resolutions and resolve. Regards Anthony

Anonymous replied on

There is one aspect of the tremedous number of Forced Adoptions that makes them excatly as the title exclaims, they were Forced. That is, the mothers were mislead as in had no advice given them, no counselling at all, and no information about the consequences of their signing any paperwork or losing under such tragic circumstances. The Forced comes from the misleading by those with both highest (legal) and lesser Authority misleading the targets by varied means most noteable being the gross and intolerable lack of support in all four areas of counselling, advice, letting the mothers understand the consequences, and all other information, at the time. This misleading has become the primary factor to many in the forcing of mothers to relinquish their babies for adoption. They were not told truths, and if told anything at all it was not for their benefit, rather to benefit those with duty of care and the adoptive parents with their responsibilities bestowed by meant to be authorities with duty of care, and legally highest obligations to do justice by their clients, mothers and adoptive parents. I don;t doubt the adoptive parents were ignorant of how their 'received' child came into their 'care' though questions still arise as to what would make any 'married' couple 'receive' a child from another without knowledge also. The misleading is for main part vile. The misleading is happening all over again when any solicitor or barrister tells their client they are doing pro bono, when in fact they are not. This has happened to several who have yet again been savagely treated by those who have the highest duty of care, or fiduciary obligations and duties to their clients. It's important all targets receive counselling about who and where it is responsible law advice, counselling and indeed prosecution, if/when they follow that path. Choosing entails knowing what your signing this time above and beyond because of what the birth mothers have experienced via forced adoptions. If anyone recieves misleading information from any legal authority they have every right to take this the the Legal Services Commissioner, the watchdog for clients/the people who are seeking pro bono legal services. Forced adoptions were unconscionable because no matter how the mothers felt at the time of their loss they were not (as 4 Corners ABC has shown wrongly) given counselling, they were not given advice, they were not given informed knowledge of the consequences of signing under duress or under the influence of mind altering drugs. There were many more Forced adoptions than those documented by the Senate Inquiry into Forced Adoptions, and all of these when sourced show the targets were not counselled, were not given advice or even the most basic information of the consequences of what they would sign. As someone on Indymedia has said 'You can sign your life away' or 'You can sign your babies life away without knowledge'. That's probably the most expensive kind of loss I can ever imagine. It's important also to not get this muddled up with the Stolen generation even as there are similarities. Forced Adoptions involved mariied couples taking babies from only anglo or associated mothers. That was their prejudice however it existed. Also, the force and misleading was rampant. I am with every support for the stolen generation, yet seperate social injustices. No more misleading the birth mothers, they have gone through what most of us would not tolerate and for this there is need for due respect and duty of care TODAY. Father of three Professor Friend of several targets of forced adoptions now. Richard G.

Anonymous replied on

You're news media has regressed to 2011, why? All the news worthy commentors who have submitted anything this year 2012 and it's now June 2012 are not here on this site. All persons comments are relevant, discussion, dissent and debate which is democracy. A glitch you're not aware of 91ΧΤΕΔΒΫΜ³ Weekly? Thanks for correcting this. Thanks Thom

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