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I thought I'd drop in my two cents worth, since abuse is very close to my heart. Not only was I severely emotionally and physically abused as a child, but I also have a career in child protection and I work with it every day.
The sad reality is, the circumstances and conditions surrounding child abuse are as varied as the people involved...there is no blanket explanation that can suffice. Each and every case however have similar factors. Firstly, the obvious, it is a power trip - the parent using someone less powerful than themselves as a scapegoat. Secondly, there is always hurt and pain for both parties - parent and child. What is characteristic of every situation bar a very few is that the parent has been hurt themselves in some way, either as a child or later, and the abuse is the direct result of that hurt manifesting itself because of unresolved pain and unforgiveness. No, its certainly not limited to the masses, child abuse happens everywhere. I think no one could argue that child abuse doesnt happen in the church, with all the media attention that has been spent on child abuse IN the church in recent times. I myself grew up a devout Roman Catholic as did all my family, including the perpetrator of my abuse. We went to church every sunday, dressed in our finest, listened to the sermon, usually left straight after communion, and got home just long enough for the abuse to then continue. Sometimes my father would be screaming at us as soon as we got in the car for something we did DURING church. As kids, if we did not sit up straight for the full service, I in particular was taken out the side of the church and smacked. Do I think its right? no I dont. But unfortunately, having worked in intake with child safety authorities, I have come to realise that a smack on the bottom will not prompt a response from a government agency. Sad but true. Doesnt matter how many witnesses you have, or how many times you've seen it, unless that child shows signs of severe emotional harm, makes disclosures evidenting physical abuse, or in some way manifests significant harm that is observable, a simple spanking will not cause a response.
I dont agree with spanking, I think there are other methods. We have foster carers all over the country who are not allowed to spank the kids they work with, and I personally know a number of them who do a fantastic job without going to that extent. But, will it be acted on alone...probably not. There are so many cases that take higher priority no matter what country you're in, and there's simply not the resources I know to combat spanking or to enforce the banning of its use.
The sad reality is, the circumstances and conditions surrounding child abuse are as varied as the people involved...there is no blanket explanation that can suffice. Each and every case however have similar factors. Firstly, the obvious, it is a power trip - the parent using someone less powerful than themselves as a scapegoat. Secondly, there is always hurt and pain for both parties - parent and child. What is characteristic of every situation bar a very few is that the parent has been hurt themselves in some way, either as a child or later, and the abuse is the direct result of that hurt manifesting itself because of unresolved pain and unforgiveness. No, its certainly not limited to the masses, child abuse happens everywhere. I think no one could argue that child abuse doesnt happen in the church, with all the media attention that has been spent on child abuse IN the church in recent times. I myself grew up a devout Roman Catholic as did all my family, including the perpetrator of my abuse. We went to church every sunday, dressed in our finest, listened to the sermon, usually left straight after communion, and got home just long enough for the abuse to then continue. Sometimes my father would be screaming at us as soon as we got in the car for something we did DURING church. As kids, if we did not sit up straight for the full service, I in particular was taken out the side of the church and smacked. Do I think its right? no I dont. But unfortunately, having worked in intake with child safety authorities, I have come to realise that a smack on the bottom will not prompt a response from a government agency. Sad but true. Doesnt matter how many witnesses you have, or how many times you've seen it, unless that child shows signs of severe emotional harm, makes disclosures evidenting physical abuse, or in some way manifests significant harm that is observable, a simple spanking will not cause a response.
I dont agree with spanking, I think there are other methods. We have foster carers all over the country who are not allowed to spank the kids they work with, and I personally know a number of them who do a fantastic job without going to that extent. But, will it be acted on alone...probably not. There are so many cases that take higher priority no matter what country you're in, and there's simply not the resources I know to combat spanking or to enforce the banning of its use.