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What Does "Just Say No to Abuse" Mean?
Children are taught to 'Just Say NO to Drugs," "Just Say
No to sexual abuse, "Just Say No if a stranger asks you to
do anything for any reason."
"Just Say No" can mean many things to each individual. But
what does "Abuse" mean? Does "Abuse" mean we will stop hitting/
spanking/paddling children as a form of discipline, because
to the child being hit/spanked/paddled is abuse?
Or does 'Just Say No to Abuse" mean we will enact more laws
to protect only adults from physical abuse (a.k.a. battering
or domestic violence)? Currently, every state has a law which
states an adult hitting an adult is considered assault and
battery. However, children are not protected by this same
law. The most vulnerable, defenseless and trusting citizens
in our country are not protected from assault and battery--all
in the name of religion and allowing parents to raise their
children as they choose. If we continue to abuse child society
must deal with the aftermath one way or the other.
NO adult has the right to violate a child. Children are our
greatest natural resource. Every child has the right to grow
up and reach his/her greatest potential. As adults, it is
our responsibility to protect children as they are the future
of this world. We cannot afford to have these future leaders
devoid of spiritual, mental, emotional and physical integrity.
Currently in twenty-two states teachers and other adults
of authority are permitted to hit children with a wooden paddle
for certain infractions in school. These infractions are left
to the discretion of the adult in authority.
In 1997 Harvard Medical Center conducted a random telephone
survey of families. Sixty-seven percent (67%) of the respondents
stated they used hitting as physical discipline (physical
abuse) with their child in the past week. Hitting a child
in the guise of discipline is both a violation of the child's
sacred body boundaries, and a violation of power.
Sexual abuse of children is the worst form of abuse. Not
only is sexual child abuse, a sexual and physical violation,
it is an abuse of power. It is violence that does not require
force. Another is using the victim, treating them in a way
that they do not want or in a way that is not appropriate
by a person with whom a different relationship is required.
It is abuse because it does not take into consideration the
needs or wishes of the child, rather, it meets the needs of
the other person at the child's expense. Studies reveal 62%
of girls and 31% of boys are sexually abused by age 18. Finkelhor,
David and J. Dziuba-Leatherman, "Victimization of Children."
American Psychologist Vol. 49:3 (1992): 173-183.
If "Just Say No to Abuse" means "NO" to any and all abusive
behavior toward another human being, this concept then needs
to be addressed on all levels of all relationships and all
levels of society.
We are responsible for the outcome of our actions.
"Those who ignore the past are condemned to repeat it." --
Sartre
"We are not only responsible for what we do, but also, for
what we don't do." -- Voltaire
"The worst way you can choose is to choose no way at all."
-- Friedrich II
"Every choice we make, every thought and feeling we have,
is an act of power that has biological, environmental, social,
personal and global consequences." -- Caroline Myss
"Those who look the other way, are part of the problem."
Dorothy M. Nedderpeyer, PhD
"Those who choose to remain in denial, are part of the problem."
Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD
Unless, each person takes responsibility for the outcome
of their actions abuse/domestic violence will continue to
be an unresolved societal problem.
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About the Author:
Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD, author, "If I'd Only Known...Sexual
Abuse in or Out of the Family: A Guide to Prevention, specializes
in verbal, physical and sexual abuse prevention and recovery.
http://www.gen-assist.com/book.asp
Article Source, click
here.
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