The Australian Christian Lobby is concerned with news of a Northern Territory couple advertising for a surrogate to the tune of $30,000.
Although surrogacy is currently illegal in the territory it hasn’t stopped the couple urging the government to allow them to advertise for a woman willing to carry a child for them.
“Putting a price tag on the act of a woman carrying a child turns women into commodities and children into accessories to be bought and sold,” commented Wendy Francis, the ACL’s representative in the NT.
The gay couple acknowledged that there is a; “large sacrifice to offer to become a surrogate… the demands on her body, and her mental state and her ability to work” which is why they want to offer financial compensation.
“We know from international experience that surrogacy – both commercial and altruistic – can lead to the exploitation and abuse of vulnerable women. Cases such as the 32 Cambodian women trafficked to be surrogates, Baby Gammy, and the surrogate who was offered $10,00 to abort the baby she was carrying are only a few of the many stories.”
“By legalising commercial surrogacy, we would be allowing vulnerable women to rent their wombs in order to fulfil the selfish desire of couples to have a child.”
“Everyone acknowledges the evil of slavery; however, surrogacy could easily become a new form of slavery. A woman’s worth should never be based on the monetary value of her internal organs. It should never be ok to rent a person’s body,” said Mrs Francis.
“The surrogacy industry creates a new form of trafficking in women and babies in which Australia should never be complicit.”
