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Originally Posted by ripples
The sourcing question is also very pertinent in the case of independent placements. Taiwan has become a primary destination for people trafficking, according to the American Institute in Taiwan (the USA 'embassy' there) report, "TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT - 2006 REPORT TAIWAN". It states, "Taiwan is primarily a destination for men, women, and children trafficked for forced labor and sexual exploitation. Women from the P.R.C. and Southeast Asian countries are trafficked to Taiwan for sexual exploitation and forced labor. Women and children, primarily from Vietnam, are trafficked to Taiwan through the use of fraudulent marriages, deceptive employment offers, and illegal smuggling for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor." While I don't want to alarm prospective parents needlessly (I found Taiwan to be a very wonderful and friendly place), I do want to raise awareness of the necessity for due diligence and caution when selecting an independent adoption placement. If I was considering adopting a child, I would want to ensure that I'm not unwittingly at the receiving end of illegal activity.
2. How were the birth mothers treated? According to a newspaper article (I think it was in the China Post or the Taipei Times), May 10, 2007, titled, "Draft bill grants students full set of maternity rights", the Minister for Education Chen Yi-Hsing, said that Taiwan has the highest teen pregnancy rate in Asia. Assuming that this Chen's statement is true, in light of this relatively high proportion of pregnant teenagers, to what extent were the birth mothers fully informed of the full range of options available to them and provided with support (emotional, moral, etc before and after the relinquishment, as opposed to being heavily pressured or coerced, as sometimes happens in some countries)? If you're wondering what I'm referring to, have a look at the web site for the Association of Relinquishing MotherS (ARMS).
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