Two more child abuse deaths and people start writing columns blaming social inequality. Here's an example published today:
But the issue is much more complicated than blaming dysfunctional parenting and family dynamics. Child abuse is more likely to happen in societies with high levels of social inequality.
Intentional maltreatment death rates more than doubled in New Zealand in the 1980s - co-incidentally the same decade that neo-liberal economic policies were rolled out. The focus on neoliberal policies is on economic growth, with the idea that the 'trickle down' effect will lift all people.
It doesn't quite work like that. Since the 1980s we have had increasing levels of social inequality, child poverty and child abuse and deaths. Correlation is not necessarily causation, but in this case research demonstrates a strong link between social inequality and abuse.
Let's stop there. The writer is roughly correct in one respect: "Intentional maltreatment death rates more than doubled in New Zealand in the 1980s."
After halving in the prior period.
1 comment:
There are thousands of parents in the same financial circumstances who do not murder their children. The “researcher” has no idea about this issue or, apparently, research. A proper investigation might well give us some answers. One finding will be that one-parent households are not the ideal environment in which to raise children.
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