Child abuse: opposing viewpoints

221 Pages·2003·0.64 MB·English

by  Louise I. Gerdes

Other Books of Related Interest
OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS SERIES
Addiction
Adoption
Chemical Dependency
Drug Abuse
The Family
Homosexuality
The Information Revolution
The Internet
Pornography
Poverty
CURRENT CONTROVERSIES SERIES
Alcoholism
Child Abuse
Computers and Society
The Disabled
Drug Abuse
Family Violence
The Information Age
Issues in Adoption
AT ISSUE SERIES
Alcohol Abuse
Child Sexual Abuse
Child Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church
Louise I. Gerdes, Book Editor
Daniel Leone, President
Bonnie Szumski, Publisher
Scott Barbour, Managing Editor
Helen Cothran, Senior Editor
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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
Child abuse : opposing viewpoints / Louise I. Gerdes, book editor.
p. cm. — (Opposing viewpoints series)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-7377-1674-6 (pbk. : alk. paper) — ISBN 0-7377-1673-8 (lib. : alk. paper)
1. Child abuse—United States. 2. Child abuse—Investigation—United States.
3.Child molesters—United States. I. Gerdes, Louise I. II. Opposing viewpoints
series (Unnumbered)
HV6626.52 .C554 2003
362.76'0973—dc21 2002043083
Printed in the United States of America
“Congress shall make
no law. . .abridging the
freedom of speech, or of
the press.”
First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
The basic foundation of our democracy is the First
Amendment guarantee of freedom of expression.
The Opposing Viewpoints Series is dedicated to the
concept of this basic freedom and the idea that it is
more important to practice it than to enshrine it.
Contents
Why Consider Opposing Viewpoints? 9
Introduction 12
Chapter 1: What Causes Child Abuse?
Chapter Preface 16
1. Multiple Factors Contribute to Child Abuse 18
Lesa Bethea
2. Poverty Is the Leading Cause of Child Abuse 26
National Coalition for Child Protection Reform
3. Substance-Abusing Parents Are More Likely to
Abuse Their Children 31
Joseph A. Califano Jr.
4. Children with Disabilities Are at Greater Risk
for Abuse 38
American Academy of Pediatrics
5. Sexualizing Children May Encourage Child
Sexual Abuse 44
Julie Hudash
6. Globalization Fosters Child Sexual Abuse 48
Ron O’Grady
Periodical Bibliography 57
Chapter 2: How Should the Catholic Church
Address Child Sexual Abuse?
Chapter Preface 59
1. The Catholic Church’s Response to Child Sexual
Abuse Is Adequate 61
Stephen J. Rossetti
2. The Catholic Church’s Response to Child Sexual
Abuse Is Inadequate 70
Thomas P. Doyle
3. The Catholic Church Must Institute a Zero-
Tolerance Policy for Child Sexual Abuse 76
David McGrath
4. Zero Tolerance of Child Sexual Abuse Could
Lead to Further Abuse 80
National Catholic Reporter
5. The Catholic Church Should Ban Homosexuals
from the Priesthood 85
Tom Barrett
6. The Catholic Church Should Reevaluate Its
Celibacy Requirement for Priests 94
Eugene Cullen Kennedy
7. Factors Other than Celibacy and Homosexuality
Foster Child Sexual Abuse by Priests 98
Joseph J. Guido
Periodical Bibliography 105
Chapter 3: How Should the Legal System Combat
Child Sexual Exploitation?
Chapter Preface 107
1. Community Notification Laws Protect Children
from Child Molesters 109
Suzanne D. DiNubile
2. Community Notification Laws Are Unjust 115
Robert E. Freeman-Longo
3. Expanding Police Powers Will Protect Children
from Sexual Exploitation on the Internet 122
Louis J. Freeh
4. Expanding Police Powers Is Unnecessary to
Combat Child Sexual Exploitation on the Internet 130
Philip Jenkins
5. Computer-Generated Child Pornography Should
Be Banned 138
Paul M. Rodriguez
6. Laws Against Computer-Generated Child
Pornography Are Unnecessary and Unfair 142
Wendy Kaminer
Periodical Bibliography 148
Chapter 4: How Can Child Abuse Be Reduced?
Chapter Preface 150
1. Family Preservation Programs Are More
Effective than Foster Care 152
National Coalition for Child Protection Reform
2. Family Preservation Programs Put Children
at Risk 157
Susan Orr
3. Policies Encouraging Adoption Should Be
Strengthened 162
Elizabeth Bartholet
4. Policies Encouraging Adoption Are Often Unfair 171
Dara Colwell
5. Disciplinary Spanking Should Be Banned 182
Nadine Block
6. Disciplinary Spanking Is Not Child Abuse 191
Okey Chigbo
Periodical Bibliography 202
For Further Discussion 204
Organizations to Contact 207
Bibliography of Books 213
Index 216
Why Consider
Opposing Viewpoints?
“The only way in which a human being can make some
approach to knowing the whole of a subject is by hearing
what can be said about it by persons of every variety of
opinion and studying all modes in which it can be looked
at by every character of mind. No wise man ever
acquired his wisdom in any mode but this.”
John Stuart Mill
In our media-intensive culture it is not difficult to find dif-
fering opinions. Thousands of newspapers and magazines
and dozens of radio and television talk shows resound with
differing points of view. The difficulty lies in deciding which
opinion to agree with and which “experts” seem the most
credible. The more inundated we become with differing
opinions and claims, the more essential it is to hone critical
reading and thinking skills to evaluate these ideas. Opposing
Viewpoints books address this problem directly by present-
ing stimulating debates that can be used to enhance and
teach these skills. The varied opinions contained in each
book examine many different aspects of a single issue. While
examining these conveniently edited opposing views, readers
can develop critical thinking skills such as the ability to
compare and contrast authors’ credibility, facts, argumenta-
tion styles, use of persuasive techniques, and other stylistic
tools. In short, the Opposing Viewpoints Series is an ideal
way to attain the higher-level thinking and reading skills so
essential in a culture of diverse and contradictory opinions.
In addition to providing a tool for critical thinking, Op-
posing Viewpoints books challenge readers to question their
own strongly held opinions and assumptions. Most people
form their opinions on the basis of upbringing, peer pres-
sure, and personal, cultural, or professional bias. By reading
carefully balanced opposing views, readers must directly
confront new ideas as well as the opinions of those with
whom they disagree. This is not to simplistically argue that
9
everyone who reads opposing views will—or should—
change his or her opinion. Instead, the series enhances read-
ers’ understanding of their own views by encouraging con-
frontation with opposing ideas. Careful examination of oth-
ers’ views can lead to the readers’ understanding of the
logical inconsistencies in their own opinions, perspective on
why they hold an opinion, and the consideration of the pos-
sibility that their opinion requires further evaluation.
Evaluating Other Opinions
To ensure that this type of examination occurs, Opposing
Viewpoints books present all types of opinions. Prominent
spokespeople on different sides of each issue as well as well-
known professionals from many disciplines challenge the
reader. An additional goal of the series is to provide a forum
for other, less known, or even unpopular viewpoints. The
opinion of an ordinary person who has had to make the de-
cision to cut off life support from a terminally ill relative, for
example, may be just as valuable and provide just as much in-
sight as a medical ethicist’s professional opinion. The editors
have two additional purposes in including these less known
views. One, the editors encourage readers to respect others’
opinions—even when not enhanced by professional credibil-
ity. It is only by reading or listening to and objectively eval-
uating others’ ideas that one can determine whether they are
worthy of consideration. Two, the inclusion of such view-
points encourages the important critical thinking skill of ob-
jectively evaluating an author’s credentials and bias. This
evaluation will illuminate an author’s reasons for taking a
particular stance on an issue and will aid in readers’ evalua-
tion of the author’s ideas.
It is our hope that these books will give readers a deeper
understanding of the issues debated and an appreciation of
the complexity of even seemingly simple issues when good
and honest people disagree. This awareness is particularly
important in a democratic society such as ours in which
people enter into public debate to determine the common
good. Those with whom one disagrees should not be re-
garded as enemies but rather as people whose views deserve
careful examination and may shed light on one’s own.
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