What can we do to have people "take action" when they see a child being neglected?

Question

I hear so many people saying they dont want to "stick their nose" in peoples business ...but, what if a child dies because of neglect because you didnt want to "stick your nose" into peoples business ? Why are people so afraid?

I would totally call! but, for instance, there was just a couple taken to jail for making their 5yr old and 2 yr old snort cocaine!! and the people around them said they knew they were being mistreated but didnt want to say anything...come on!

Answer 1

Here is the problem, we live in a society with a political party that determined it is the governments business to teach detailed sex ed to toddlers, that criminals have more right than victims and that no one should judge others. Turning your neighbor or other child neglector in to the authorities could result in you getting sued just as turning in airline passengers who exhibit questionable behavior can. When many of us were children people could do these things and the authorities could act. When we were kids strangers could tell us to straighten up in a store and our parents would be mad at us not the stranger- try to tell some bad *** kid to behave in public today and get the tirade from their worthless parent...

Answer 2

If you see a child left in the car at the grocery store parking lot, or a kid being hit with fists then by all means call someone fast. Even if it's just the police. If you see a dirty child, assume for a minute that kid might have been outside all day. If you see a child being smacked on the bottom assume for a minute that the parent has a right to discipline their kid that way. Even if I don't agree with it, or you don't agree with it.
People should use common sense. Call for help during real dangers, unfortunately there's no law that requires great parenting.

Answer 3

You cannot legally compel someone to get involved. Not to mention the constitutional problems with a law like that -- it is just not enforcible as a practical matter.

The exception is medical and counseling/education professionals, who (in most state) do have a legal obligation to notify authorities of suspected child abuse.

If people want to get involved, that's their choice. But because parenting is a fundamental right, someone else interfering in how a parent raises their child is potentially grounds for a lawsuit against the person intervening.

Then again, not everything that looks like neglect at a glance really is.

Answer 4

Every decent person on earth will take action to help save a child from abuse when he sees it. The people who say they don't want to stick their nose in to help are not decent people, and nothing we do will make them decent. When you hear someone say that, you know there is a problem and you should try to find out what the problem is so you can help the child in danger. God will deal with people who don't care enough to try to help an abused child, and it's up to the rest of us to do what we can to stop the abuse.

Answer 5

You can;t assuem the worst in every lieelt neglect /abuse case). The amount of neglect that would require for a child to die fro mit is astronomical. If you called DSS on every kid that had some mild form of neglect o abuse, they would have no time to handle the really bad cases. I was neglected as a kid for sure, but not enough to warratn any investigation. If you see a mom slap her kids wrist and you call DSS, you are not helping anyone. That kid will be fine and the DSS person has to fill out 10 hours of paperwork for it and in the meantime a real case is not being handlesd

Answer 6

We need to get involved, even if u keep it low key, i was an abused child for 7 yrs n been on my own since 15, all because no one wanted to stick their noses in. i have a lot of difficulties in life now.
pick up the phone at least,,,plz.

Answer 7

You had better stick your nose in if you see a child in harm's way!

Answer 8

This may be offensive and off topic to most of you, and it may be untrue (and I certainly hope so).

If those who believe the unborn are children have to accept that they are being killed every day, does it make it easier or harder to accept that other kids are being abused? I hope it makes it harder to do nothing, but I don't know.

http://www.yaktivist.com -- A place to discuss developing nonlethal weapons and nonlethal pregnancy termination technology.

Answer 9

If you see see it, then you should report it. You will never change people. There are some that do, and some that don't.

Answer 10

THE SYSTEM WORKS AGAINST WHISTLE BLOWERS. IF YOUR ALLEGATION TURNS OUT TO BE FALSE THEN YOU WILL BE OSTRACIZED FOR IT. YOU HAVE TO BE 100% SURE THAT SOMETHING WRONG IS HAPPENING.