Has anyone been keeping up with these stories?  It is a nightmare.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-24/hospital-apologises-for-forced-adoptions/3789406

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-07-25/catholic-church-apologises-over-forced-adoptions/2808672

It is impossible to imagine that anyone here couldn't count a number of close friends and family who were affected.  I didn't ask anyone - who could - but there are many hands up in our own acquaintance.  Even with The Pill and condom use the public health statistics show a number of unplanned pregnancies will occur no matter what.  There is a failure rate, easy examples being: antibiotic use can interfere with the contraception pill and condoms can be lost in action.

Not only did many thousands of women at all levels of society have infants snatched from them, but equivalent numbers at least would have had terminations against their will because they could see no other viable alternative.

I do not want this to descend into a pro- or anti- abortion discussion.  That would be of no help to the women concerned.  However some of the pressures still remain - which is relevant.

You don't hear the impassioned pleas for sensitivity, understanding and compassiion for these women from the talking heads in the media or from those guvvy funded units who are supposed to be representing women.  Yet these women were denied the most fundamental rights of all -to be properly informed and supported at their most vulnerable time, and they are still suffering.

Why is it that a few groups claiming discrimination have been able to gain and protect great victim status (and no offence meant to them) whereas terribly sad lives like these (mothers who lost their children) are forgotten until years later and even then the attitude seems to be 'get over it'? 

It is impossible to imagine for instance that there would be continual lobbying demonstrations and ruckus in federal in parliament to get attention for these women, but why not?  Why must a certain few 'victim' groups have political cachet"  Is there a limit on the compassion we can show?

Speaking of which, the dreadful tryanny and suffering inflicted on wards of the State consumed the lifetime of survivors to get recognised.  Half a million Australian children alone were placed in institutions and foster care throughout the 20th century.  They are known as The Forgotten Australians.  Later it is as if they had all been forgotten and left wing lobbyists in particular are ferreting away on policy to bring more children under State control..