I am a Legal Studies major and in some of my other classes we had to research cases regarding child abuse. This topic is always very touching and moving to me as children are so innocent in nature and intent. They depend on the love and nourishment of adults/parents in order to survive in this crazy hectic world. One of the articles I researched was a news story that was covered in the town I live in. Below is the article:
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - September 16, 2011 -
An appeals court says a single spank doesn't qualify as domestic violence. A three-judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal on Friday quashed an injunction for protection against domestic violence. It cited common law and a 2002 Florida Supreme Court ruling that says reasonable or non-excessive corporal punishment can be used as a defense against child abuse charges.
Circuit Judge Karen Gievers of Tallahassee had issued the injunction against a father identified in the ruling only as "G.C." He had been accused by his former wife of spanking their 14-year-old daughter once on the buttocks with his hand.
The father said the teen had been disrespectful and defiant. The girl said she was only being sarcastic.
I found this to be very upsetting for many reasons. The determination for what domestic violence is today has become so lost. There is too much gray area that is left up to interpretation. I had a discussion with another classmate who upset me greatly regarding this issue. She stated that something like this was nothing compared to the abuse she experienced as a child. She continued to say that a slap or spank was not child abuse compared to her treatment. While I do sympathize with the pain and suffering she must have endured, it pains me to see that people can think this way. How can someone else's pain and suffering be any less than the next?? Who is here to judge what is and is not abuse? I think anything of this nature towards a child should be considered abuse.
Very sad story and sad circumstances surrounding this story. =(
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