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Dec 11, 2014 at 10:27 comment added joshstrike @SantiBailors I don't think any semantic gymnastics could extend the definition of "violence" to the confiscation of a toy. And to the question of criminalizing confiscation, wouldn't that by extension also criminalize not buying the child any toy she wants in the first place? There's a sharp line between privileges and rights. A child has a right not to be hit. Perhaps a right not to be "belittled" although that's fuzzy. But having a toy is a privilege which can be taken away. Just as an adult's car can be taken away for bad behavior. It's vital that kids learn that privileges are not rights.
Dec 10, 2014 at 23:24 comment added A E @SantiBailors, here in the UK a "small spank" would definitely not land a parent in jail, so long as they only used their hand and it didn't leave a lasting mark. It would be legal. Other countries' laws differ of course.
Dec 9, 2014 at 22:07 comment added user11394 @SantiBailors Corporal punishment techniques have measurable effects. They are directly observable, may leave visible injuries or temporary markings, and the forces necessary to leave temporary or longterm markings/injuries are experimentally measurable (meaning, we can tell how hard a child was hit based on the implement and marks). All these things mean it's easy to quantify corporal punishment, and thus regulate it. Psychological abuse, on the other hand, does not produce sufficient, consistent indicators. So, the law might not prevent it, because we can't quantify it yet.
Dec 9, 2014 at 12:48 comment added SantiBailors @A E I agree with your comment, fortunately laws in those countries definitely and thankfully do address psychological violence too, but my perplexity is that punishments like withdrawing gifts, confiscating toys or shaming the child IMO can easily be more serious than a small spank and yet they are never considered a felony not even remotely while the small spank can certainly land the parent in jail (and "for the child's good").
Dec 9, 2014 at 12:35 comment added A E @SantiBailors, I think you're right, but I also think that if you look closely at the laws in a lot of the relevant countries, you'll find that psychological abuse is as illegal as physical abuse. For example, here in the UK the government would prosecute ill-treatment with "an especially serious physical or psychological effect on the victim, even if unintended", under child cruelty laws.
Dec 9, 2014 at 10:28 comment added SantiBailors @A E Great comment, that's actually the focus of my question. The countries which I know outlaw f.ex. a spank to a 15 years old don't outlaw f.ex. holding a gift from a 5 years old or shaming him/her in front of his/her friends etc., and I'm trying to figure out if that makes sense. I'm not sure it's OK to convict a parent for a spank but if France outlaws both types of "violence" at least it's not hypocritical, while I'm starting to think that legal systems that outlaw only one type of violence are hypocritical, just focused on saving face and their approach shouldn't be used as a guideline.
Dec 8, 2014 at 20:41 comment added joshstrike No - of course there is such a thing as actual psychological violence. My point was that no law states - nore could it - that parental love must be unconditional. Meanwhile, people misinterpret "abuse" to mean almost anything, and every year legal boundaries get pushed further by governments who prefer children to be brainwashed in public schools than raised with any kind of discipline by their parents.
Dec 8, 2014 at 20:06 comment added A E Well, psychological violence isn't just 'pop psychology'. For example, in France psychological violence is a criminal offence in law, it is included in the UN's 1993 Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (Article 2, "Physical, sexual and psychological violence"), and the Istanbul Convention - which is now in force throughout Europe - defines psychological violence as "the intentional conduct of seriously impairing a person’s psychological integrity through coercion or threats".
Dec 8, 2014 at 19:43 review First posts
Dec 8, 2014 at 22:17
Dec 8, 2014 at 19:40 history answered joshstrike CC BY-SA 3.0