When is child abuse the public's business?

Question

I pointed out to a man in the store that his toddler son not having shoes or socks on in February (cold weather) was abusive. He yelled at me to mind my own business. When does it become "everyone's" business? Do individuals wait until a child is mortally wounded to speak up? At what point should the public speak up and do their part to hold parents accountable in public places?

Middle of winter a man has his toddler aged child in the store with no shoes or socks. I am aware of child abuse laws, but my question is.....When does the public speak up to parents about their poor judgement?
The parent says, "it's not your business". Why is it not my business? When does it become my business? Should society wait until the child is seriously injured and still say nothing directly to parents?
As an individual with social work experience, I wonder why people choose to ingnore neglectful behavior. When will the average person acknowledge that MANY children are in danger and make it their business to speak up? Aren't children worth that little bit of effort?

The child in question was being carried, no blanket or coat, by another child with no coat and about 10 years old.

Answer 1

All children should be protected. No one should ever ignore a child that is being abused.

Speaking up = preventing child abuse
Reporting to appropriate agencies = preventing child abuse

Don't listen to the abuser.

Answer 2

I think we all have an obligation to speak up for children if we suspect abuse because children have no voice. In your situation, I would not have been accusatory to the man. You assumed he was being abusive because the child did not have shoes or socks. It could be very likely that the family could not afford those items. It's not abuse for being poor. I'm sure the parents must be doing everything they possibly can for their children. So not only should we as human beings be concerned about child abuse, we also should be concerned about child poverty.

It was a very hard situation to approach. Maybe you could have gently pointed out the missing shoes and socks and asked if there was anything you could do. You could also have called authorities and asked them to handle the situation in a gentle manner and the authorities could provide resources for that family.

Answer 3

I commend you on your concern for this toddler. Perhaps, you might have gone about things in a different way. You might have asked the man why the child didn't have shoes or socks on. You don't know what type of situation they left or were in. That would have been my first line of defense for the child and would have helped alleviate the man being defensive. If he had stated that they couldn't have afforded them, you could help them or point them in the direction of getting help (shelter, church).

As for protective services for children, you have every right to be concerned. A neglected (abuse is too strong of a word) child is a warning sign for a deeper problem and perhaps you scratched the surface of a problem and the man went on the defensive to hide it.

Next time, (even if you have to bite your tongue) a softer word/touch can work wonders and can help those who need to be helped.

Best of luck to you and I'm sure that child would thank you for your concern!

Answer 4

Child abuse is always the Public's business. We all have to do our part to protect children. No individuals should not wait until a child is mortally wounded until they speak up. We should all report to the appropriate authorities any child abuse of children that we know about. It is absolutely wrong to let it happen. Also, people should report the abuse to several agencies to make sure something is done about it.

Answer 5

When the child's immediate or long term health is an issue, I think that it becomes a larger issue. Having no socks or shoes is potentially dangerous but I must also add that every culture and even sub culture has different ideals of what is safe and what is not, what is right and what is wrong. Was the man carrying the child? or was he walking directly on the floor?

Answer 6

It's a touchy situation...poverty (unfortunately) is sometimes the root of this kind of child abuse or neglect (which I think this is a better word for this type). And your statement could have been hurtful and offensive... Depending on where you live you may see little or a lot of this, but to me it seems obvious when people are intentionally neglecting or abusing their children. If someone is physcially abusing their child, or their child is in immediate danger or harm it's nessisary to take action. However in the situation you mentioned isn't one of these types of situations. However obvious it may be to you, you can't parent other peolple's children.

Answer 7

you will desire to examine Kahil Gibrans comments on infants Sara. infants are separate spirits as all of us are.mom and dad foolishly think of that their baby is their assets and a version of ,"little ME,".they have them simply by fact they're theory is be frutful and multiply or the blessing of a relationship is a baby or infants. They then deliver that baby right into a worldwide have been the means is of their hands besides the indisputable fact that the means is interior the hands of the controllers of societies that see people and young infants as consumers and commodities. they have infants as status symbols then depart them to pursue careers and have interaction of their grownup adolescents of amassing materialist desires which in turn they inflict on the baby. All a baby needs is the affection and presence of their mom and dad. some do get this whilst others get some thing different. The mendacity container interior the residing room the television is the recent babysitter and now that's the telephone or computing gadget. how are you able to be bored with loving your baby? how are you able to be pissed off with your baby except your interest is distracted away out of your baby? this is not any ask your self our childrens improve to despise our ideals and ideals simply by fact we've enable them to down badly via believing interior the fake ideals capitalist secularist materialist societies inflict on all persons. We for the 1st time are a era with out recommendations left to circulate in the direction of a fashion forward for altruistic theory and making plans for our childrens and their infants. Harming a baby in any way is abuse. A merciless fact can ingure a baby yet enable us to no longer forget approximately our era and those in the previous us have been reported in a form of abuse weren't they. how a lot of people have been bodily abused,Spare the rod and harm the baby,the place does that sit down with the instructions of Jesus to go through the babies to return unto me. all of us who spoke back you announcing it does no long term harm are already broken to the factor of denial and are inhabited via a advise spirit. our childrens quickly will upward thrust up against us if we don't tutor them love via changing the worldwide for them.

Answer 8

Touching your child in a physical manner like that is considered wrong in today's society, however, there is nothing wrong with a little discipline in the form of a spank or shake.

It depends if he really was abusing the child, if he were doing it out of discipline in a lower degree of physicality, then it's fine. If he were kicking or punching the child, then it's your place to point it out and call the proper authorities.

Answer 9

As long as we keep hearing that the abortion of innocent unborn children is "none of anyone's business", this type of junk will continue. Because of legalized abortion, children are viewed as little more than property.

If the dismembering and skull crushing of an unborn child is "none of our business", then why should neglect of a born child be any of our business? In comparison, the failure of this man to dress his children properly is loving.

Answer 10

I take my hat of to u.We are amuge the fue that speak our mind. More of use should,because people always look but never say. children are every ones concern.They are the futer.If we don't look out for them no what will society be like in the fut er.