Iowa Adoptee & Family Coalition Issues Strong Statement Against Safe Haven Baby Boxes

Yesterday, the Iowa Adoptee & Family Coalition, in response to a Safe Haven Baby Box installation scheduled for next week in Norwalk, Iowa, issued a press release /policy statement condemning boxes. You can read the entire statement on the organization’s Facebook page, Here is an excerpt:

Contrary to harmful stereotypes, the idea of women “dumping babies” is propaganda. Many women would rather parent if provided with adequate support — including stable housing, paid leave, childcare, and postpartum care. The few who abandon infants often suffer from severe, untreated trauma. Baby boxes do nothing to address that root cause.

Baby boxes erase the parent, cast her as either savior or sinner, and allow society to look away instead of offering meaningful help.

If we genuinely want to save babies, we must save their families too. That requires policies that prevent crises — not normalize abandonment.

Fort Dodge and DesMoines, already host abandonment boxes, but neither has been utilized (that we know of. ) At least 2 more locations are planned in the state: Newton and Windsor Heights.

Big thanks to IAFC for speaking loud and clear and getting the adoptee voice heard in Iowa!

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Written during London Writers Hour