Throughout my childhood, I was never exposed to abuse by my parents, but I was disciplined and taught right from wrong. So I think it is hard for me to comprehend how parents think that abuse and discipline hold the same meaning. Discipline in my mind is a method used to parent your child in an effectively enough, that abuse or violent behavior isn’t needed. Violence is a result of anger and when parents lash out at their children in that way, they just make the situation worse and consequently never come to a reasonable solution. However, because there are many parents in New Zealand that think violence is the answer to disciplining their children; the government has to implement new laws. There is the start of such laws and legislations that allow the protection of children against such behavior, so that children also have more rights in this country.
They have recently been made official, so now in New Zealand it is illegal for parents to smack their children, hence the Anti-smacking law being passed through government last year. However there has been some uproar concerning this law, as many feel it isn't the parents giving their children a smack occansionally aren't the problem. Instead the parents that violently abuse their childen, are the problem. I tend to agree and also feel this law will not stand to prosecute the parents that committ these hatred crimes. I think that more harsher penalties and laws protecting children in this country have to be implemented. The anti-smacking law is just the start of the government taking responsibilty, but in my opinion much more is still needed to do in order to prevent the suffering of children and even in some cases the deaths of innocent lives.
I also question the reasons why the parents can even bring themselves to treating their own flesh and blood like this. Which begs me to ask the question "Where does the root of this problem actually stem from?" It is said that a child abused throughout their childhood is more likely going to mirror that abusive behaviour for the rest of their lives and even when they are parents, pass it on to their own offspring. It is like a a vicious cycle, and in my mind the victims of abuse
require more attention and support from health professionals. This maybe would be a step in the right direction for helping to prevent and break the cycle of abuse from happening to more generations.
Another method of preventing child abuse, that has been recently thought about, is the possibility of a legitimate license for parenting a child. This license would have be earned before couples even consider having a baby and on the basis that they truly deserve the privilege of becoming parents. This quote "They [Parents-to-be] should have to earn a licence to breed....and earning the licence should be very hard!", had me very intreged about this idea,
recently in the media. I would imagine various criterias would be evaluated and in the end the couples that are absolutely fit to parent a child would earn this right with a license. I think this is a good initiative personally, because the parents that don't quite fit the criteria, could recieve help and training to learn how to become a better parent. I mean, we have to apply for a license to own a dog, why not for babies as well?
In the end, as a nation I think we have to educate ourselves with the consequences of this fragile issue. The more people are exposed to the amount of child abuse awareness , that is out there in the world today, then the more we can take a stand against child abuse and someday come up with a solution. Many people do not realize how big a problem like child abuse is, until organisations and charities that go the extra mile to get our attention. Without the support and help that the various organisations and charities offer, who will be committed to comfort the children that are abused and stop them from feeling hurt?
References:
About, I. (2008). About.com: Abuse/Incest support. Retrieved 7 May, 2008,from
http://incestabuse.about.com/cs/childabuse/f/cabuseffect.htm
Associated Content, I. (2007). Discipline vs. Child Abuse. Retrieved 7 May, 2008, from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/162227/discipline_vs_child_abuse.html
Bebo. (2008). People Against Child Abuse. Retrieved 7 May, 2008, from http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=6177608699&ShowSims=Y
Crossrhodes. (2005). License to have a baby. Retrieved 7 May, 2008, from http://www.crossrhodes.com/?p=179
DFPS. (2008). Preventing Child Abuse is Key to Breaking the Cycle. Retrieved 7 May, 2008, from http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/About/News/2005/2005-04-04_Break_Cycle.asp
Discussion: "anti-smacking law". (n.d). Retrieved 7 May, 2008, from http://www.grownups.co.nz/discuss/show/id/550
Guardian, U. K. (2002). Police say new child murder law is needed. Retrieved 2 April 2008, from http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2002/apr/19/childprotection
Herald, N. Z. (2005). Garth George: Suffering of the young ones is a national disgrace. Retrieved 2 April 2008, from http://io.knowledge-basket.co.nz.ezproxy.aut.ac.nz/iodnews/cma/cma.pl?id=17057-092-108-P%3A&cma=dc%3A039%3Aw%3A1%2C2%2C3%2C4%2C5%3A01+Jan+1980%3A31+Dec+2008%3Achild%2520murders%3A0%3A0%3A-1%3A%3A&qz=%2528%255B.65535%255D%2Bchild%2Bmurders%2529&vk=nzh02%2Ftext%2F2005%2F09%2F29%2F20050929nzh10347714.html
Herald, N. Z. (2007). Call for harsher child abuse penalties backed. Retrieved 2 April 2008, from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=41&objectid=10456015
YouTube. (2008). Child Abuse Awareness. Retrieved 7 May, 2008, from http://youtube.com/watch?v=jhiYzU6McLc
8 comments:
Hey Claire,
I really enjoyed your blog. It seems very imformed and share a lot of the same opinions as I do. It is hard to comprehend why people can harm their children in such a way.
I meant to say 'you' share a lot of the same opinions as me~
alot of the points you made are very real and relevant in this day and age. i personally oppose the anti smacking law because when the day comes i want to tech my children what is right and what is wrong. it just saddens me that there are people who beat their children to to point of death, and sadly no matter what we do about it i.e impose laws the end result is we cant stop it.
all in all a very good blog, just curious as to why you chose this topic?
Hey, Good blog
I fully agree with your points you raised how the anti smacking bill is'nt really that effective and it is true more needs to be done to stop the violence.
Much like many other issues in the world, awareness is the first step into fixing this horrific problem in my opinion, and this blog has certainly opened my eyes to this.
hey dylan,
thankyou for the feedback.
i think that i chose this topic because personally because it is an important issue at the moment throughout New Zealand. Also when i started reading the articles in various newspapers and on the internet i completely shocked me about how bad this problem has become. So i wanted to research the topic further to gain knowledge of other people, from around the world, their views on the matter of Child abuse.
I think it has opened my eyes alot to these sorts of occurances that happen in the world today, and they are definitely not to be taken lightly!!
You have made several good points here. I was kind of shocked when I read that a lot of parents in New Zealand use violence as their way of discipline, I have always thought that European parents use much softer ways. In some countries (in Asia particularly) there are also some much more severe child abuse such as sexually harassing or even raping their own children, I get so furious when I see these news! The world is in total chaos now! I wouldn’t agree with legally restricting parents from hitting children at all, because sometimes disciplinary violence can be effective, however something definitely has to be done on over-using violence on their own children, because violence and discipline are very different. Have we not heard that, most serial killers had dark pasts such as being abused during childhood?
Hi, I really enjoyed reading your blog. I’m sure I agree with the fact that ‘a child abused throughout their childhood is more likely going to mirror that abusive behaviour for the rest of their lives’ thus, in my opinion, they could go wrong way even when they grow up for example it affects their own children and even committing crimes will happen. I think this is the main reason why the abuse must be stopped. A child abuse will ruin their whole lives. I think it’s very good that children have more rights in this country. Finally the license for parenting a child is very interesting. However, I just wonder what if there are people who would not want to have a child because they have to get a license for parenting?
Hey Claire.
Wicked Blog girl. Such interesting links too. I enjoyed reading your blog. By the way, is it legal to smack your kids in New Zealand. I cant remember>
Cheers
Erica
Post a Comment