Forced Adoptions
No words can express the lifelong anguish suffered by the mothers when their newborn babies were forcibly taken from them in the 1950s to the 1970s.
This practice of was allowed to occur to unmarried pregnant women, by the government, hospitals and institutions providing social services.
The details of what happened to these women has been swept under the carpet and suppressed by the authorities for the past 30 plus years.
These women are to be commended for pushing forward against all obstacles to bring this tragedy to light resulting in the Government apology in the Victorian Parliament on 25 October 2012.
It is important that the wrong done is acknowledged by the Government, however this does not diminish the anguish and will not return the children to their mothers.
Many women are permanently traumatised by this conduct which forced them to relinquish their human right of motherhood and all privileges attached with being a mother.
Some of the women’s trauma has led to permanent mental health conditions such as severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Many have never managed to rehabilitate and have not gone on to have more children.
Many adoptees also suffer permanent psychological injury as a consequence of this practice.
Livia Tonge is investigating potential legal claims for victims of the forced adoption practices that occurred in Victoria to seek compensation, as seen on the ABC 7.30 Victoria programme aired on 26 October 2012.