Breaking Their Will: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment

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The children exposed to sexual abuse – and not only within the Catholic Church – by religious communities convinced that a “man of God” could never be guilty of such crimes. I imagine there are thousands of children and adults who have and are currently suffering, whom can find healing and solidarity, as well as a plan for raising the next generation without religious maltreatment. Like many critics, Miller-McLemore points out that many conservative Christians proclaim themselves as parenting experts and, through Internet sites as well as for-sale books and DVDs, advise parents about child rearing. While fully acknowledging that religion can be a source of great comfort, strength, and inspiration to many young people, Heimlich makes a compelling case that, regardless of one’s religious or secular orientation, maltreatment of children under the cloak of religion can never be justified and should not be tolerated.

Lydia is one of three children whose death has been linked to the teachings of Michael and Debi Pearl. Most parents or carers with a mental health problem give their children the love, care and support they need. The writing is awful, the biblical exegesis deplorable, but what troubles me the most is that the book reads like a manual for developing abused wife syndrome. Neglect—a very common type of child abuse—is a pattern of failing to provide for a child's basic needs, which include adequate food, clothing, hygiene, or supervision.To escape the boredom and loneliness, she turned to the Bible and read its "uplifting and promising" passages. The Pearls advocate using switches on babies and young as six months, and spanking older children with belts and plumbing tubes. We know problems stem directly from not having a secure parental attachment; 15% of children in this country have disorganised attachment and they are on a pathway to being disruptive at school and going on to live lives with high levels of aggression. But if it’s in the child's best interests to live somewhere else, they can arrange for them to live with another family member or friend, or provide emergency accommodation, such as a foster placement. In England, pupils can leave school on the last Friday in June if they’ll be 16 by the end of the summer holidays.

While fully acknowledging that religion can be a source of comfort strength and inspiration to many young people Ms. We've put together an overview of the key legislation in these areas, to help people who work with children.

Parenting can be a very time-intensive, stressful job, especially if you're raising children without support from family and friends, or you're dealing with relationship problems or financial difficulties. Coram Children’s Legal Centre cannot be held responsible if changes to the law outdate this publication. I thought of that while reading Breaking Their Will: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment by Janet Heimlick (yes, daughter of the inventor of the famous maneuver), published by Prometheus Press in 2011.