Phemanderac wrote on Nov 6
th, 2015 at 1:20pm:
So, since there is a bit of chatter going on about PANOC (Physical Abuse and Neglect of Children) it seems that it might be worth making a few points clear.
There is more than a little misinformation getting thrown about (not to mention some very disreputable reframing of information)...
So, if you ever suffered sunburn as a child growing up, welcome to experiencing neglect first hand. By definition, failure to provide protection against harm constitutes neglect...
I have made the point more than once (to deaf ears, or perhaps in this context blind eyes) that issues pertaining to neglect and abuse become far more serious if they're chronic. As such, whilst a case of sunburn absolutely constitutes neglect, it would only be chronic if it were sever and happened often... Same goes pretty much for most (not all because some forms of abuse particularly are immediately threatening to long term well being) forms of abuse and neglect.
To bring this into some perspective relevant to this board, I have made the comment that I agree that religious education is a form of child abuse.. I have also qualified this that it is not chronic per se. That is an opinion only, based on knowledge of how these terms apply.
The pitfall for many is that, over time and largely thanks once again to our sensationalising (if that isn't a word I am claiming inventors rights...) mass media these two words, abuse and neglect, have been demonised where it is the ultimate sin just to mention them, as is evident just in this place alone. The problem is, that misconception goes much further than just this board.
I doubt many will take the impact of this on board, but it seemed appropriate to try at least.
Addressing issues of chronic abuse and neglect, for the present at least, is addressed with a big stick approach by and large. That is, or at least, appears to be a failing of the way we do community at the moment. The fact that people need to be employed to be mandatory reporters and professional child protection workers is a damning indictment on how we do community. The harsh reality is, obviously, that the professional child protection industry is also going to get it wrong at times.
Protecting our children needs to be a whole of community approach. We may also need to rethink this "ownership" of our children idea, people get very upset when their parenting practices are questioned, challenged or outright rejected...The old I will raise my children my way comes out. It is erroneous thinking, they're not your children, you are their carer/parent...
1. You're a nutter.
2. You have no idea about having kids...do you?
3. My kids ARE INDEED MY KIDS. They belong to me (and my husband of course)....they're certainly not yours or anyone else's.
4. Your definitions of abuse and neglect are just that. Your definitions are in essence your opinions. And opinions are like ar$eholes, everyone has one.
Yes, I bristled at that "they're not your children" passage too. We don't need to "rethink" that at all.