Debate: What is Child Abuse? **May Trigger**

I am starting this thread in response to some recent discussions and some unhappiness with my choice to close an earlier thread based on what I considered a problem. The problem was that the debate, which I hope to continue here, was veering off the original intent of the poster. Instead of responding to a specific incident, the thread had become a more global debate of the issue. While this usually isn't a problem, in this case it was causing some users discomfort and we were getting some complaints from members.

I am hoping that by starting this thread, I can end the complaints about my decision to close the earlier topic. I invited those involved in that discussion who had complained to start this very thread but they have failed to do so and instead continue their complaints. My posting of this thread is my less than subtle way of saying enough.

Now lets get back to the intention of the site and start helping others instead of bickering.

By labeling this topic a "debate" and including a warning about possible triggers, I have opened it up to what I am sure will be a firestorm of opinion and reaction. Please keep in mind that you are posting here on your own decision, but I still expect everyone to play nice and follow the rules of these forums.

Let me give this a shot...

Child abuse should be defined as something that can cause lasting physcial and emotional harm to a person below the age of 17.
Now to get more specific, sex with a child can lean 2 ways.

A healthy, positive relationship with minimal, if any, sexual intercourse. Of course I believe this relationship should conform to some of societys standards in that it should be a male and a female, both of the same race and nationality, and not related in any way. The females opinion regarding matters should always be taken into consideration; ie if she says no then it means no.

A negative relationship is a destructive factor that comes from all the power being in the hands of the older participant. In such an instant, physical violence and threats and used to control the child. This has been proven to be a damageing expeirence to the child and should be prosecuted with the full force of the law.

Well there are three or so different areas regarding child abuse.

Some for example is:

TRIGGERING CONTENT




Emotional maltreatment - Verbal assault (belittling, screaming, threats, blaming, sarcasm, unpredictable responses, continual negative moods, constant family discord and double-message communication are ways parents may subject their children to emotional abuse.

Sexual abuse - Sexual assault includes r@pe, incest, sodomy, oral copulation, penetration of genital or anal opening by a foreign object and child molestation.

Physical abuse - Frustrated or angry parent or care giver strikes, shakes or throws a child. Intentional assault, such as burning, biting, cutting, poking, twisting limbs or otherwise torturing a child, is also included in this category of child abuse.

Neglect - Neglect includes both severe and general neglect. Severe neglect includes either the negligent failure of a parent or caretaker to protect the child from severe malnutrition or medically diagnosed nonorganic failure to thrive. Neglect can also include a parent or caretaker willfully causing or permitting the person or health of the child to be placed in a situation such that his or her person or health is endangered. This includes the intentional failure to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter or medical care. General neglect is the negligent failure of a person having the care or custody of a child to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical care, or supervision. An example of general neglect includes inadequate supervision, such as parents leaving their children unsupervised during the hours when the children are out of school.

well u cant label all sexual encounters with children as abusive. In doing so you ignore all the facts and lump all pedophiles together.

Well ya if anything occurs to a child that is sexual it definatly is abusive.

If pedophiles show interest in a child and act out it is that.

A healthy, positive relationship

Any such relationship as described above must be between equals. If one is a minor, that eliminates that possibility.

Any minor does not have the legal capacity to consent to a sexual relationship, therefore, an adult entering into a sexual relationship with a minor is breaking the laws as well as causing serious mental, emotion, and generally physical abuse.

Asking child abuse victims generally results in the opinion that any direct abuse with intention to harm or unintentional abuse resulting from an abuser's intentional failure to deal with a personal problem is child abuse. All of the actions Butterfly Faerie listed fall under this category. And I agree with this definition.

However, there is also the type of abuse which is completely unintentional and results in the child adopting maladaptive behaviors from maladaptive parents. For example, parents with Social Phobia or a subtle mood disorder may instill unintentionally in the child the same fears and feelings and may cause the child to develop the same disorders or others. This is a more insidious problem, and I would not call this child abuse, but it is a problem all the same.

bereft wrote:

A healthy, positive relationship

Any such relationship as described above must be between equals. If one is a minor, that eliminates that possibility.

Any minor does not have the legal capacity to consent to a sexual relationship, therefore, an adult entering into a sexual relationship with a minor is breaking the laws as well as causing serious mental, emotion, and generally physical abuse.

Its illegal therefore its wrong? Interracial marriages were illegal once, just as homosexual marriage was. Does that mean that they too are abusive?

All of the problems and stigma that children recieve from child abuse comes from the media and their family telling them that it is wrong. You people force this concept into their undeveloped minds, leaving them no alternative way of thinking. Bonobos as animals living in a natural enviroment readily engage in sex with children Bonobos, who are left with no change in emotional or physical health.

It's wrong because their minds are undeveloped, Souther. It means that the kid can't decide for him/her self like an adult could.

You have to admit, though, that the inability for an underage child to consent is only relevant in a society where sex can be a very dangerous weapon. I absolutely agree with you that underage sex can be child abuse, but in a society like a group of bonobos, sex is harmless and an everyday occurrence for every bonobo, regardless of age. There is no danger of sexual abuse in that society. Also, one extinct Native American tribe comes to mind, where it was believed that a girl could not effectively enter menarche without first having some sexual encounters. Again, sex in these societies is not dangerous.