Practices of anonymous infant abandonment in Europe and the USA: the diversity of approaches

1706

Abstract

The article describes technologies of anonymous infant abandonment available in different countries: special places (“baby-boxes”) for abandonment (Germany, Latvia), possibility to abandon an infant at a healthcare of emergency service (“safe haven law”, USA), anonymous delivery (France). The connections between socio-psychological aspects of prevention of infanticide and social orphancy are outlined. Conceptual and applied issues of anonymous infant abandonment practices – such as addressing “wrong” target group of women who could have asked for help to raise children on themselves; violation of fathers’ rights; lack of possibility to learn about the origins of an abandoned person – are discussed. The experts’ attitudes towards implementation of “baby boxes” in Russia are analyzed briefly.

General Information

Keywords: social orphancy, newborn infant abandonment, infanticide prevention, abortion prevention, “baby box”, anonymous delivery, “Safe haven law”

Journal rubric: Applied Research and Practice

Article type: scientific article

For citation: Archakova T.O. Practices of anonymous infant abandonment in Europe and the USA: the diversity of approaches. Sotsial'naya psikhologiya i obshchestvo = Social Psychology and Society, 2012. Vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 103–115. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

References

  1. Archakova T.O. Polovoe prosveshenie podrostkov: celostnyi podhod [Elektronnyi resurs] // Elektronnyi sbornik statei PsyJournals 2009. № 1. https://psyjournals.ru/pj/2009/n1/22250_full.shtml Bebi-boksy: pozor obshestva ili al'ternativa smerti?
  2. http://www.miloserdie.ru/index.php?ss=1&s=68&id=16350
  3. Zvirbule L.Proekt Baby Box – mesto dlya spaseniya zhizni rebenka v Latvii 2009–2012: realizaciya, prodvizhenie, opyt // Mezhdunarodnaya nauchno-prakticheskaya konferenciya «Ubiistvo roditelyami novorozhdennyh detei: prichiny i profilaktika», Moskva, 26 iyunya 2012 g. M., 2012.
  4. Kotova E. «Kolybel' nadezhdy» – proekt radi spaseniya detskih zhiznei // Mezhdunarodnaya nauchno-prakticheskaya konferenciya «Ubiistvo roditelyami novorozhdennyh detei: prichiny i profilaktika», Moskva, 26 iyunya 2012 g. M., 2012.
  5. Lancburg M.E. Deyatel'nost' materinskih centrov po profilaktike otkazov ot rebenka (na primere centra «Sharmiran», Grenobl', Franciya) [Elektronnyi resurs] // Psihologicheskaya nauka i obrazovanie PSYEDU.ru 2010. № 5. https://psyjournals.ru/psyedu_ru/2010/n5/Lantsburg.shtml
  6. Materyam dadut polgoda na razmyshleniya http://www.miloserdie.ru/index.php?ss=1&s=7&id=16061
  7. Safuanov F.S. Psihologiya infanticida // Mezhdunarodnaya nauchno-prakticheskaya konferenciya «Ubiistvo roditelyami novorozhdennyh detei: prichiny i profilaktika», Moskva, 26 iyunya 2012 g. M., 2012.
  8. American Psychological Association, Resolution in Favor of Empirically
  9. Supported Sex Education and HIV Prevention Programs for Adolescents. URL: http://www.apa.orglreleases/sexed-resolution.pdf.
  10. Ayres S. Kairos and Safe Havens: The Timing and Calamity of Unwanted Birth //  William & Mary Journal of Women & Law. 15(227). 2009. http://scholarship.law.wm.edu/wmjowl/vol15/iss2/2
  11. Black L. Babies Get Second Chance: Safe-Haven Laws Make it Legal for Moms Who aren't Ready to Have Kids to Give Them Away // Chicago Tribune, Aug. 9, 2006.
  12. Bowditch G. Abandoned Babies Need Us to Adopt the Old Ways // Sunday Times (U.K.), Mar. 18, 2001.
  13. Cooper D.R. Note, Fathers Are Parents Too: Challenging Safe Haven Laws with Procedural Due Process // Hofstra Law Review. 2003. Vol. 877 - 878.
  14. Fields-Meyer T. et al., Home Safe // People, Mar. 17, 2003.
  15. Hilfe E. Kindstutung, 30 // Stern, 36, July 2008.
  16. Kertzer D.I. Sacrificed for honor // Italian Infant Abandonment and the Politics of Reproductive Control. – Boston: Beacon Press, 1993.
  17. Lefaucheur N. The French "Tradition" of Anonymous Birth: The Lines of Argument // International Journal of Law, Policy and the Family. 2004. Vol. 18 (3).
  18. McCurry J. Three-Year-Old Dumped in Baby Hatch Stokes Row in Japan // The Guardian (U.K.), May 16, 2007.
  19. National Association of School Psychologists, Position Statement on Sexual Education (Apr. 12, 2003) at http://nasponline.org/about.nasp/pospaper_sexed.aspx
  20. Newborn "Safe Haven" Laws Questioned (NPR radio broadcast July 14, 2003), available at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyld=1335825.
  21. Oberman M. A Brief History of Infanticide and the Law / Infanticide: psychosocial and legal perspectives on mothers who kill / Ed. M.G. Spinelli. – Washington DC, 2003.
  22. Oberman M. Comment: Infant Abandonment in Texas // Child maltreatment. 2008. Vol. 13(1).
  23. O'Donovan K. “Real" Mothers for Abandoned Children // Law and Society Review. 2002. Vol. 36.
  24. Povoledo E. Updating an Old Way to Leave the Baby on the Doorstep, N.Y. Times, Feb. 28, 2007. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02128/world/europe/28rome.html
  25. Sanger C. Infant Safe Haven Laws: Legislating in the Culture of Life // Columbia Law Review. 2006. Vol. 106.
  26. Storrar K. Punishing Girls who Become Pregnant Isn't the Answer // Mirror (U.K.), Sept. 21, 2005.
  27. Willenbacher B. Legal Transfer of French Traditions? German and Austrian Initiatives to Introduce Anonymous Birth // International Journal of Law, Policy and the Family. 2004. Vol. 18 (3).

Information About the Authors

Tatyana O. Archakova, Psychologist and Methodologist, Charity Child Foundation “Victoria”, Charity Foundation “Volunteers to Help Orphans”, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6161-2946, e-mail: tatyana.archakova@gmail.com

Metrics

Views

Total: 6976
Previous month: 24
Current month: 10

Downloads

Total: 1706
Previous month: 4
Current month: 1