Ruben Rosario: Rising toll of child abuse deaths requires atten...

I love pictures with stories. And if you find them in statistical reports, even better.

[Bob Schwiderski]

Another great social awareness and knowledge building article Ruben. Thank You !

[Buffalo Bill of Eau Clair]

FEMINISM wrote:

The really sad part is that most child abuse and neglect comes from the hands of a mother and our family law courts give these same females primary placement about 92% of the time (US Health and Human Services). Why does this go on???

...Troll

[Richard Wexler]

The problem of child abuse is serious and real, but the solutions have been phony.

The photos that so moved Mr. Rosario are there precisely to stampede us into phony solutions. Every Child Matters wants us to assume that this is what all cases are like, and rush to tear apart more families. In fact, the overwhelming majority of cases are nothing like the horror stories; far more often families are needlessly torn apart when family poverty is confused with “neglect.”

ECM doesn’t mention that one of the pictures, the picture of Logan Marr (Maine), is of a little girl taken from a kind, loving, but impoverished mother – only to be killed by her foster mother, who also was a caseworker for the state child welfare agency. In the years since, Maine has improved dramatically, to the point where, this year, its child welfare system was a finalist for Harvard’s prestigious Innovations in American Government awards.

Maine transformed itself by emphasizing safe, proven programs to keep families together and taking far fewer children. In contrast, Minnesota does things just the way ECM wants – it spends at one of the highest rates in the country (when complete figures, more recent than ECM’s are used) but it throws most of the money away by tearing apart families at one of the highest rates in the country as well. Not only does this do terrible harm to the children needlessly taken, it also steals workers time from finding children in real danger.

But ECM doesn’t want us to think about any of this – in fact, they don’t want us to think at all – they want us to simply go with our gut feeling. But if you really want to fix child welfare, you have to listen to that gut feeling – and do the opposite. Anything less is putting adult self-indulgence ahead of what children really need.

It is, in fact, impossible to do an honest comparison of rates of child abuse deaths, for reasons explained in the Every Child Matters report itself. And, after being pressed by our organization, ECM has now admitted that it screwed up the spending comparison – big time.(For details on all of this see our Child Welfare Blog at www.nccpr.blogspot.com )

So now there are *three* things certain in life: Death, taxes, and the fact that Every Child Matters will misrepresent both to make an ideological point.

Richard Wexler
Executive Director
National Coalition for Child Protection Reform
www.nccpr.org

[anti welfare guy]

According to stats set forth by Rosario, most of the victims are from poor "families". How many are from 2 parent, married couples? Few if any I suspect. I further suspect that most are supported by welfare. Perhaps if this damn government stopped giving money to women when they had babies, fewer poor people would have bastard children. Fewer poor people having children also means fewer criminals.

[anti welfare guy]

Another issue about welfare bums; They receive not only cash, but food, housing allowance,and medical care, at no expense to them. They, also, are the majority of our jail and prison population.

[The Solution]

Here's my solution:

Expose the Democrats who endorse policies that sustain and perpetuate the feral fatherless children and their media appologists to the problem they create. Here's how:

1. Create a foundation to provide housing for feral fatherless children.

2. With the funds from the foundation, purchase the houses next door to the DNC committe chairs in each county.

3. Find feral fatherless 18 year olds and give them rent free housing in these nice neighborhoods next door to the DNC committee chairs. Encourage them to bring their friends and girlfriends.

[Artie Louise]

I am appalled at most of the comments on this article. Obviously they have not learned that if you don't know what you speak of, you shouldn't speak.

I am a child abuse survivor who came from a TWO parent MIDDLE CLASS WHITE family. My parents had the option of hiding me on a relative's farm, when the abuse became so bad that had I been seen, I would have been removed and parental rights would have been terminated.

I resent people taking every opportunity to turn the subject into a partisan political debate. Parental stress is a major cause of child abuse HOWEVER, financial stress is ONE OF MANY stresses that cause child abuse. If you care, get involved and you will learn things are not black and white. Otherwise, it is better to remain silent and thought a fool than open your mouth and remove all doubt.

Artie Louise
http://www.childabusestories.org

[anti welfare guy]

Artie Louise; this is not a political issue. This is our government choosing to use tax money to support the very bums that victimize their own children as cwell as the rest of society. Look at prison stats as to the percentage of welfare recipients locked up. Also, I would venture that your situation of 2 middle class parents being abussive was a bit of an aberation.

[Artie Louise]

What A WACK wrote:

<quoted text>Artie, You are yet another HUMAN FEMALE WACK!!! Get HELP!!

Those who have nothing intelligent to add to the conversation resort to name calling. Thank you for making my point.

[anti welfare guy]

Artie Louise; That did NOT make your point. That was just a person who had nothing to add.

[Artie Louise]

anti welfare guy wrote:

Artie Louise; this is not a political issue. This is our government choosing to use tax money to support the very bums that victimize their own children as cwell as the rest of society. Look at prison stats as to the percentage of welfare recipients locked up. Also, I would venture that your situation of 2 middle class parents being abussive was a bit of an aberation.

I don't think my situation was so uncommon. I have/had similar age relatives who went through somewhat similar circumstances, though they're finances would have classified them as working class. I believe many children are abused in the name of religion. As for me, the bible was quoted as the beatings took place.

Mental illness and alcoholism, which defy class lines, were the factors in both mine and my relative's abuse. Perhaps if there had been services in place for the mentally ill, we might have been spared some of the abuse.

The life long societal effects of child abuse cost far more than any government programs that might be put in place to stop it. While I believe our taxes should be used wisely, I also believe there are just causes for government programs. I don't agree with all the things are taxes are used for, however we pick and choose through our votes and involvement. Taxes are the price we pay for living in a civilized society.

Artie Louise
http://www.childabusestories.org

[A guy down the block]

Mr. Wexler may have some valid points, although I can't be certain.

Many of the others who've chosen to comment seem to do so with nothing more than their own biases to support them.(That would include you, anti-welfare guy (AWG), and quite possibly What a Wack. I suggest AWG take a look at the information linking child abuse and the likelihood of the victim's later arrest and incarceration. He (or she) might also take a look at the reality of welfare recipients, a group that includes a wide array of people.

Artie Louise makes some very valid points. Her experience is far from unique. I, and many other white, middle-aged and working-class, middle-class and upper-class Americans suffered neglect and/or physical/mental abuse in our early years. Not all have recovered; some never do.

[ZenBirdist]

Artie Louise wrote:

<quoted text>
I don't think my situation was so uncommon. I have/had similar age relatives who went through somewhat similar circumstances, though they're finances would have classified them as working class. I believe many children are abused in the name of religion. As for me, the bible was quoted as the beatings took place.
Mental illness and alcoholism, which defy class lines, were the factors in both mine and my relative's abuse. Perhaps if there had been services in place for the mentally ill, we might have been spared some of the abuse.
The life long societal effects of child abuse cost far more than any government programs that might be put in place to stop it. While I believe our taxes should be used wisely, I also believe there are just causes for government programs. I don't agree with all the things are taxes are used for, however we pick and choose through our votes and involvement. Taxes are the price we pay for living in a civilized society.
Artie Louise
http://www.childabusestories.org

Artie, your eloquence in the aftermath of your childhood is inspiring. May God bless you in your work, that you may reach others in the grip of abusive parents and shine the light that dispels their darkness. Your cause is noble, my friend.

In God's love,
Zen

[Really]

In 2004, the federal government concluded that MN failed the 7 basic standards for child safety and well being; Hennepin County family court in a new project, employees child specialist's and financial experts, because courts (lawyers) are inept; and, the power of discretion is more powerful than our laws

[ZenBirdist]

Buffalo Bill of Eau Clair wrote:

<quoted text>
...Troll

He doesn't care about the children who were abused by fathers, only the ones who were abused by single mothers.

[Tom Shakopee]

Reuben Rosario and his God - "Social Justice."

[anti welfare guy]

A guy down the block; Read Rosario's article, he is talking of abuse resulting in death. I have worked with welfare and prison clients for 3 decades, and although my observations are anecdotal, to be sure, I would stand by them. Abuse resulting in death usually comes from the under-class, a group generally supported by welfare/ tax money. Why are we supporting the very people that are victimizing society?

[Artie Louise]

anti welfare guy wrote:

A guy down the block; Read Rosario's article, he is talking of abuse resulting in death. I have worked with welfare and prison clients for 3 decades, and although my observations are anecdotal, to be sure, I would stand by them. Abuse resulting in death usually comes from the under-class, a group generally supported by welfare/ tax money. Why are we supporting the very people that are victimizing society?

Sometimes people need help. Are there welfare cheats? Yes, however I believe most people on welfare have come upon hard times. I don't believe we should condemn all for what some do. What is the lifetime limit on welfare now? 5 years? No one expects to get divorced when they have children. And not all people who have children should get married. And as a young person, we don't always make good judgments regarding people we mate with. Who among us can say as a youth, we made wise decisions? I know I can't.

Incidentally, I am an example of severe abuse, almost resulting in death, by a middle class parent. While I think economic stressors put children at greater risk, at the same time, I think upper and middle class parents have more resources and can hide abuse better.

Artie Louise
http://www.childabusestories.org

[anti welfare guy]

Artie Louise; Here's an idea...Don't have kids unless you can pay for them yourself. Please stop excusing welfare bums.

[Artie Louise]

anti welfare guy wrote:

Artie Louise; That did NOT make your point. That was just a person who had nothing to add.

EXACTLY and chose to call me "another female human wack" which implies I'm some kind of a nut job. Then he/she tells me to "get help." He does nothing to add insight to the subject matter. If I had to guess, I would say it is because he/she is incapable of communicating / justifying an intelligent opinion. My point being, if you don't know what you speak of, DON'T speak.