What would you have done?

[Loa]

I've called the SPCA on people several times!

[duckie]

But in school I worked with a domestic violence center, and we learned that confronting the abuser (for spousal or child abuse) is not a good idea.  The abuser can attack you- also once you are gone or behind closed doors he might take it out on the kid (or wife).http://voices.yahoo.com/what-if-witness-suspect-domestic-violence-6993750.html

What I was going to say
Imagine if you said something and the parent just went home and ~punished~ the child for it? People like that don't think rationally, it wouldn't make them feel guilty they'd just blame the child.
 I'd get a good description and ring the police.

[WildBlue]

This reminds me of the tv show 'What Would You Do?'. I do not know what I would have done in that situation. Just reading what happened makes me extremely annoyed. I cant stand people that hit their children, mostly because I was hit as a kid and the parents still believe "children should be beat".  Sickening, I know - turns my stomach every time I hear it. People say my angry face is pretty scary, lol... so I may have just given him the ol evil eye too.
But I will keep Galactica's advice in mind if I ever see this happening. Good to have a plan just in case.

[tikibirds]

Honestly, I would of kept right on going. Im not getting involved in domestic disputes especially if I dont know the whole story.

[Eviecorn]

I would have probably done the same thing, Loa.  Just make my presence known, both for the child and the father.  "I'm here.  I saw this."  Sometimes that has an effect of diffusion.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Honestly, I would of kept right on going. Im not getting involved in domestic disputes especially if I dont know the whole story.

This.  Don't forget there are at least two sides to every story. 

There are plenty of resources for those who wish to leave their environments if they feel abused.  That mother could take her child and pack their bags and go to a shelter or obtain assistance from a domestic violence charity.  But clearly her behavior shows that although she was shocked, she considered it acceptable.    That's not our choice to make, it's hers.  Sad for the child AND the mother, but this is HER choice and she has control over whether she does something about it or not. 

Endangering them further or oneself by getting involved is never a good option.  All you can do is make sure that you help the appropriate charities/organizations be more "in the public's eye" so that victims may eventually feel like they can trust them and be helped by them.    But abusers break down their victims' sense of worth, as they don't have any for themselves, so it may take a long time for this family to see that their choices are inappropriate. 

[Cumberbatch2012]

I would have called the cops.

[slyons]

Well, I'm not sure of the whole story, did he whack his child in the face or on the bum?

Not knowing what the child did to "deserve" it, I'm not sure if I would have done anything if it was on the bum. If the child had been acting out, or maybe swore and said a bad word, or whatever the situation, I still believe a swift swat on the ass is ok. Most kids will cry after punishment, (sometimes even after being yelled at) so it might not have been a hard hit.  I might not be the most popular person on here after admitting that, but it's my morals.

On the other hand, if it has been in the face, to me, that's abuse, not a punishment. Like Eviecorn said, I would have made my presence known, and if he was stupid enough to continue, then I would have gotten the authorities involved.

Hard to say when it wasn't me. Never know what you would do in someone else's shoes.

[melodys_angel]

If there were any identifiers id note them and then contact the authorities. Its not overkill when the kid cant protect themselves.

Unfortuntely, child abuse is not taboo and its something that I get pretty opinionated about

[ashes]

I probably would have called 911. A few years ago I was down in Los Angeles for Thanksgiving visiting my sister-in-law.  After dinner we took a walk around the neighborhood.  Granted, in general it's not super-cold in southern CA, but it can get chilly at night.  We saw a two-year-old crying and pounding the front door of a house wearing NOTHING BUT A DIAPER!!  We all had on coats because it was cold that night.  I was like, "What the crap is going on??"  I whipped out my phone and almost called the police when the dad answered the door and said the child, "Your timeout is now done."  WHO in their right mind puts a practically naked child out on the front porch on a chilly evening for timeout??  So horrible. My heart was sick

[Mkia]

I probably would have called 911. A few years ago I was down in Los Angeles for Thanksgiving visiting my sister-in-law.  After dinner we took a walk around the neighborhood.  Granted, in general it's not super-cold in southern CA, but it can get chilly at night.  We saw a two-year-old crying and pounding the front door of a house wearing NOTHING BUT A DIAPER!!  We all had on coats because it was cold that night.  I was like, "What the crap is going on??"  I whipped out my phone and almost called the police when the dad answered the door and said the child, "Your timeout is now done."  WHO in their right mind puts a practically naked child out on the front porch on a chilly evening for timeout??  So horrible. My heart was sick

That is sick and incredibly dangerous. What happens when someone sees the baby standing there and comes over? Plus little kids do not regulate their temperatures well. So having a small child in just a diaper on a cold night can lead to several problems.

[tikibirds]

Quote from: tikibirds on Today at 09:36:25 AM
Honestly, I would of kept right on going. Im not getting involved in domestic disputes especially if I dont know the whole story.



This.  Don't forget there are at least two sides to every story. 

That and I was thinking along the lines of what if the guy had a weapon like a knife or a gun? or if he is mentally unstable or something?

[Ivaness]

My family have been on the opposite end of this question, so to speak. When my son was young, maybe around 3 (before we knew about his Autism), we were walking with my sister out of a store, I had a hold of his hand. He ended up slipping out of my hand and ran into a busy intersection, almost getting hit by a car. And me, young as I was, without thinking, ran after him (what mom wouldn't?) dragged him back to the curb and spanked him. It was in slow motion, replaying in my mind with all the possible conclusions.

This old lady was walking by and started screaming at me to STOP HITTING THAT BABY. I dissolved into tears, did she not just see my son almost getting hit by a car?! It made me think it would have been preferrable to her that he was hit by a car and not by my weak hands. My son wasn't crying because I was hurting him (I seriously have no strength) he was crying because I was crying and freaking out.

But, hitting a child for no reason is completely different from hitting them with cause. I saw nothing wrong with spanking my son for running into traffic. But, apparently this old woman who probably use to hit her children with a switch or wooden spoon saw it as wrong. I don't hate her because of it, but still, it shocked me.

Back to the topic, I wouldn't have said anything. If he was abusing that child, cops would have been called. But it is not for me to step in, maybe my boyfriend - he's a big guy.

[Tribble79]

This old lady was walking by and started screaming at me to STOP HITTING THAT BABY. I dissolved into tears, did she not just see my son almost getting hit by a car?! It made me think it would have been

I agree with Ivaness and slyons. Smacking your child on the bum when needed is niether wrong or against the law. You are allowed to disipline your child. Hitting the child otherwise or with a lot of force (i.e. causing bruising etc.) is wrong and is child abuse. Not nowing the whole situation I wouldn't pass judgement on someone unless it is obvious child abuse - which you can definately recognise. However, I still wouldn't interfere but inform the authorities.

Putting a child out in the cold with no clothing is incredibly wrong! My husband is a retired police officer and he had to arrest a father who was punishing his 3ish year old and 5ish year old. He put them outside in 10 degree weather with out heavy clothes or coats. I can't remember how much clothing he said they had but it wasn't anything that would protect them from that type of weather! The father told them they were his kids and he would do as he pleased to punish them.

[Roseprincess1]

I really have no idea what i would have done in this situation.. i have mentioned that i have spoken out before.. and BOY did i ever catch it for that one... but that being said.. I have to say that I am cautious (NOW)  when i see something like this... and after the cybersmacking i got the last time for doing what i thought was right and interfering ... I've learned to stay out of things.
also...

I KNOW what its like to have kids taken from a family for what to that family may seem like no small thing... example.. my sister let my nephew go to work with a stain on his uniform shirt... just a small lil thing.. but she had no bleach at the time and couldn't get it out.. I honestly dont know what she did with the detergent and bleach i brought her.. and i have a sinking feeling that there may be more to the case than what ive been told.. but if a stain on a shirt was the only reason the school called CPS then that is a touch of over kill.
If you REALLY think a kid is being hurt then you should call the authorities .. but you should remember that looks can be misleading.