Outrage is growing, as more people become aware of the fact that over 80% of children living in so-called orphanages have at least one – and often two – living parent. Even more so when they learn that many of these children were removed from their parents and put in an institution not to protect them, but to make money from their ‘orphan’ status.
The orphanage industry, which causes this situation, is a relatively recent phenomenon. But placing children who have parent willing and able to care for them in institutions is not at all a new thing. It reaches way back in history.
In the blog about the history of the spread of orphanages (HERE) mention was already made of the practice of forcing unwed mothers to give up their children to institutions, something that still happens today in many countries. This happens either indirectly, through such severe social pressure that the mother makes the choice herself in order to keep life liveable, or directly, where the mother is not given any choice and her child is taken away from her to be put in an orphanage. These children are either adopted, or they live – or die – in the ‘orphanage’.-These were and are not the only children to be ‘abandoned’, whether voluntarily or not. The (former) colonies also have a rich history of institutionalising children who have parents.
In many countries, mixed-race babies would be removed from their local mothers. By ‘virtue’ of their mixed race, they were considered ‘too good’ to be raised in the local culture by a local mother. However, they were not seen as quite ‘good enough’ to be raised by their white father or his family. So as a compromise they were placed in institutions, usually run by missionaries. In these institutions they were deprived of the opportunity to properly learn about either culture that was part of their heritage. They mostly learned to look down on their local heritage and to regard themselves inferior to the culture of their white father, the perfect recipe for self-loathing. Not to mention the damage done by not having their essential basic needs met.
In Australia, they did not limit this practice to mixed race children. Over there, there was a long tradition, which ran far into the 20th century, of removing Aboriginal children from their parents, often by force, and putting them in institutions. This was supposed to ‘civilise’ the children. Unfortunately, it mostly led to children growing up alienated from their own culture and identity, while still being by and large denied access to ‘white society’. Not surprisingly this has led to severe mental health issues and substance abuse.
People love to hide behind ‘tradition’ as an excuse for continuing practices that are being increasingly recognised as harmful. So here I would like to make a plea to break with the shameful tradition of ripping children away from their families when it is for any reason other than their safety. Let’s create a tradition of supporting families instead.
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