Why is it that domestic violence is more accepted than other forms of assault and battery? I live in Connecticut, and, if I am not mistaken, the repercussions here for domestic violence are much less than those imposed for assault and battery. I find this strange, because domestic violence combines assault (attempted battery and/or the intentional frightening of another person) and battery (unreasonable application of force). Why is it that one will pay more dearly for striking a stranger than one's own spouse or children? Spousal abuse is condemned by reasonable people, thankfully. No man nor woman should be permitted to strike his/her spouse. I firmly believe that the punishment for assault and battery should be the same, regardless of the relationship the perpetrator has with the victim.
The verdict is still out with regards to child abuse. Several people whom I've spoken to seem to think that it doesn't, or shouldn't exist. They claim that parents should be able to treat their children any way they want, mistaking their children for chattels. I've heard people say that the government should not and cannot tell them how to raise their children. Well, I have news for them: yes, it can and should.
The government regulates, through legislation, how people in our nation are expected to behave. It would be unacceptable for you to beat a customer who slammed the door of your barber shop. Yet, you might believe that it is your right to beat your child, who slammed the door of your barber shop. To me, there is little difference between these two acts. If anything, the latter is more despicable, because a child would not be able to defend himself/herself. And yet, some people like to forget that children are people, too.
I feel rather strongly about this, since I was abused and neglected as a child. My mother would strike me on my face, head, back, and shoulders for minor infractions, such as slamming a door (that's a popular one) and losing a box of Christmas cards. She made me wear my hair long, and I could not brush it myself, so I went to school with matted hair. When I asked for lunch money in elementary school, she gave me $50 for my student debit account and told me that the money should last for two months. Lunch cost $1.75. If you do the math, the money wouldn't have lasted six weeks. So, I went hungry.
Why is this behavior considered to be acceptable? Parents and guardians are entrusted with the welfare and care of their children. I maintain that it is not the right of any adult to refuse any child proper medical care, food, and shelter. As a survivor of domestic violence, I sincerely hope that I can convince at least one person that children have rights.
