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| THE QUESTION APPLIES TO WRONGFUL REMOVAL TOO |
A QUESTION WAS PUT TO ME TODAY: "Considering all that MCFD has done, and considering that all of us here - from a very wide variety of backgrounds, etc. - find the treatment of Ayn appalling, do either of you consider what has been done to Ayn "child abuse"? I know I do."
I will provide a brief answer.
I will not take issue with you or anyone else if you call it ‘child abuse.’ However, for my own purposes and from my own perspective, my word selection is important to me. ‘Child abuse’ as it is commonly understood today is physical, sexual, psychological or emotional maltreatment or neglect of a child. Customarily it applies to an act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or caregiver that results in harm, potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child. Since MCFD removed Ayn Van Dyk from her father’s primary care, by any evidence that we have been given, Ayn has been well cared for within her foster home environment. She was administered a load of anti-psychotic drugs initially and she may still be required to take some medication. Given that understanding, in the strictest sense, I would not say that what MCFD has done is categorized as ‘child abuse.’ But please hear me out. There is more to this than the mere legality of terminology. ‘Abuse’ as a term has numerous synonyms, such as misuse, exploitation, manipulation, mishandling, taking advantage, misapplication, mistreatment, ill-treatment, insult. Considering the way MCFD has mis-managed this case; there I gave my position away; and considering that I share with the rest of you our unanimous disgust for the conduct of this case, I do see abuse, but, here is my distinction. I see abuse of privilege, abuse of power, abuse of position, abuse of parents, and who is to know the full extent of the emotional and psychological trauma to Ayn and to Amie and to Derek and to their two sons, which, given the fact that in all good conscience, MCFD could have returned this child after the first month, rather than still holding out now at the near end of September over two years later, yes, I consider that abuse. MCFD has misused its power, manipulated the terms of the ACT and the law and these parents, mishandled the case by having seven different case workers all of whom have a learning curve every time, and all of this is an insult to these parents, to the public and to the good faith of the public in a system intentioned to help and to develop families. ABUSE.
What has happened to Ayn is definitely child abuse, because she has suffered mental and emotional injury. She was moved abruptly from everyone she loved and trusted and she did not see them for a long time. She would not be able to understand why. Emotional and mental damage is just as much abuse as physical injury. The difference is that the scars are on the inside and not so obvious to see. There is a lot more abuse in this case. Abuse of parents and abuse of process just for starters.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ray. By the way, you sent this twice, 41 minutes apart. I surmise that you thot it didn't get thru. Actually, each comment awaits my approval. So that depends upon when I get or read the notification.
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