FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                      Nov. 28, 2005

FRUA urges ABC to provide complete picture on international adoption

Adoption group says a lot is riding on ëPrimetimeí story

            Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption is urging the ABC television network to provide a balanced view of international adoption when its 'Primetime' news magazine airs a story on an adoptive father convicted of sexually abusing the daughter he adopted from Russia.

"There is no question that what happened in the case of Matthew Mancuso is a tragedy of the first order," said FRUA Chair Karen Klein Berman, "but it's also a story that does not reflect the broad reality of international adoption.  'Primetime' needs to make sure that its presentation includes the joys and perspectives of the thousands of adoptive families who have loving, committed relationships with their children."

Matthew Mancuso is a Pennsylvania man serving a 15-year sentence on federal child pornography charges relating to his adoptive daughter, now 12.  Mancuso lost custody of the girl, who has since been readopted by another family. 

"The 'Primetime' story is airing at a critical time for international adoption in Russia," said Adam Pertman, the Executive Director of the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute.   "Untold thousands of institutionalized Russian children, who genuinely need new homes, could be impacted by how the Mancuso case is portrayed on American television."

FRUA families will be contacting ABC affiliates across the United States prior to the broadcast to ask that the full picture of Russian adoption be depicted.  Families argue that as November is National Adoption Awareness Month, a complete story on adoption from Russia would include the devotion and loving care that countless moms and dads provide their children every day.

"An examination of the Mancuso case in isolation right now would only help Russian reactionaries who want to ban the adoption of Russian children by Americans," said Berman.  "FRUA wants to make sure that ABC recognizes both the love adoptive families have for their kids and the political realities of Russian adoption.  Children in orphanages all over Russia have a stake in how this story is portrayed."

FRUA is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit, all-volunteer organization founded in 1994.  It now has  2,300 members across the United States with 39 chapters and nearly 100 alliance members.  FRUA families have adopted children from Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Belarus, the Georgian Republic, Romania, Kazakhstan and neighboring countries.

For more information, contact John Perry, FRUA Advocacy and Outreach Chair, at (517) 256-8516 or via e-mail at John@frua.org.