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12 Whittier J. Child. & Fam. Advoc. 81 (2012-2013)
International Adoption: The Economics of the Baby Industry

handle is hein.journals/wjcfad12 and id is 87 raw text is: INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION: THE ECONOMICS OF THE BABY INDUSTRY MAHSA FARID INTRODUCTION Since its start, international adoption has been envisioned both as an opportunity to rescue children in need and as a means for childless couples to become parents.' In the last decade, international adoption of children has drastically increased each year in the United States.2 Along with this sweeping increase is the substantial and profitable black market in baby selling. With Americans adopting more children than any other nation, it is vital to know why so many children are available for adoption and whether they are being trafficked into the U.S.3 Many westerners are under the illusion that international adoption seeks to rescue millions of children from their daily struggle of poverty, homelessness, and hunger; however, evidence shows that in many sending countries children are being systematically forced into sale, kidnapped, or even stolen from their birth families.4 Unfortunately, the international community's response to the pressing issue of child trafficking through international adoption has 1. Laura McKinney, International Adoption and the Hague Convention: Does Implementation of the Convention Protect the Best Interests of Children?, 6 WHITTIER J. CHILD & FAM. ADVOC. 361, 370 (2007). 2. The U.S. fiscal year statistics list the highest adoptions per year in 1999 with 15,719 adoptions, 2002 with 21,467 adoptions, and 2004 with 22,991 adoptions. U.S. DEP'T OF STATE, INTERCOUNTRY ADOPTION, Statistics, http://adoption.state.gov/aboutus/statistics.php. 3. McKinney, supra note 1, at 383. 4. David M. Smolin, Child Laundering: How the Intercountry Adoption System Legitimizes and Incentivizes the Practices of Buying, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Stealing Children, 52 WAYNE L. REv. 113, 127 (2006), [hereinafter Smolin, Legitimizes and Incentivizes]. 81

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