Why is child abuse an accepted norm in Australia?

When is violence acceptable?

When is violence against a child acceptable? When a child is punched in the stomach and the professional says, “that’s not much of a bruise”, the child reacts immediately to such a statement with feelings of worthlessness. In reality, the child may have experienced similar bruises over a period of years. The child has almost certainly been terrified of being harmed by the abuser. The child is probably suffering insecurity and post-traumatic stress - but if the severity of the injuries do not overtly appear as life threatening and/or there is a protective parent (other) waiting in the wings - the child is not deemed to be at “risk”.

In their submission titled From Partial Analyses and Fragmented Services to Comprehensive Analysis and Coordinated Outcomes: Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect in Australia, the Australian Childhood Foundation (ACF) raised questions about the difference between the Department’s assessment of child abuse and what was actually required to keep children “safe and well”.

Every child has a right to live in an environment that fosters his or her physical emotional, social and spiritual development, from a child protection perspective this entails stopping abuse and neglect when it has occurred and preventing future abuse and neglect from occurring. This also entails ensuring that every child is provided with a sense of security and attachment and the basic essentials including education and suitable accommodation.

It will require a paradigm shift to bring about this change. Have we, as a nation, the will to truly protect our children? In the meantime, should we assume that either parent applying for custody is going to be a good parent? Should mothers have more rights over very young children? At what point should the state intervene? Finally, as the courts will almost certainly relinquish their role in family disputes in favour of the scientific methods of testing, how will the public know if the best interests of their children are being served?