A Tragic Case Of Abuse

With all the focus on the sexual abuse of children, it's easy to forget that it's just one of a number of types of abuse children suffer. Out of the West today came the story of the worst type of abuse imaginable. This poor child didn't stand a chance as he was beaten and killed by his own father. The taking of a life is the most depraved abuse possible and my heart is filled with sadness when thinking of how Zach suffered and how he'll never have the chance to live a full life. Abuse of any kind is abhorrent but denying a child the opportunity to grow, recover and flourish is the most abhorrent of all.

What adds to the sadness of this story is that the man responsible had a previous conviction for physically abusing another of his children. Sixteen years ago he broke the bones of another son and also blinded him in one eye. I find it astounding that, despite his prior record, there's been no outcry demanding a publicly accessible register for those convicted of physically abusing children. Why is it that the suffering of children like Zach matter less in the eyes of those who advocate a public register for child sexual abusers? Why is it the Victorian focus on sexuality and a fascination with all things salacious causes people to care less for the victims of physical and emotional abuse? But don't they claim to just lurve children? Of course all children are equal to these people... it's just that some children are more equal than others. Of course they want to do everything possible to stop child abuse... as long as that abuse has a sexual element to it because, as is clearly evident, in their eyes it's the only kind of abuse worthy of their activism.

The rest of us care about all kids and want to see an end to abuse of any kind because no abuse is unworthy of our attention. Hopefully one day others will grow to this understanding and stop minimising the suffering of children whose abuse they don't presently consider worthy of their attention.