In Japan, it's not unusual for the non-custodial parent to lose contact with his or her child, and domestic abductions, when they do occur, are often ignored by the police as a family matter.
Almost 500 children were abducted from the UK and taken abroad illegally last year, according to figures released to the Guardian under the Freedom of Information Act.
The dividing line between an ethical adoption and a baby-buying scam generally falls on the issue of whether the birth mother has been coerced into giving up her child.