While parents are usually seen as protectors of their children, the Taiwan Fund for Children and Families found that among the 1,206 child abuse cases it handled last year, parents were the abuser in 1,031— or 85.5 percent — of the cases.
The fund also quoted figures released by the Ministry of the Interior, which showed that parents were the abusers in 10,054 — or 76.9 percent — of the 13,077 reported cases of child abuse last year.
“It's unfortunate that so many parents hurt their own children because of sudden emotional outbursts,” Miguel Wang (王明仁), the fund's executive director, told a news conference in Taipei yesterday. “We're worried that such cases may continue to increase because parents are under increasing pressure amid the global economic crisis.”
Wang said the fund had found that 64.3 percent of the child abuse cases it handled last year stemmed from a lack of parenting knowledge, followed by poverty and unemployment.
The situation has not improved this year. The fund said that of the 46 cases reported in newspapers in the first quarter, poor parenting skills, poverty and unemployment were again cited as the top three causes of abuse.
In one case, a father beat his infant daughter to death to stop her from crying; in another, a drug-addicted mother abandoned her two children; and in a third, a sleeping infant suffocated to death while the parents were having a meal right by the crib.
“On average, one child every 0.8 day gets hurt because of parental carelessness or inadequate care,” said Paul Shiao (蕭琮琦), director of the fund's social work department. “Many parents don't know how to take care of their children properly; some even use their children as tools to vent their emotions.”
Of the 46 cases reported this year, 15, or 32.6 percent, cited poverty or long-term unemployment as a factor.
“This shows that economic recession has a lot to do with the rise in child abuse,” Shiao said. “It's a serious issue and parents need some support from society to improve their parenting skills and to relieve some of their pressure.”
To avoid emotional outbursts, Shiao said parents could try to take 10 deep breaths and close their eyes to calm themselves when they are about to get angry with their children.
He also urged parents to seek help from social groups and to hug their children.
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
EVA Airways today confirmed the death of a flight attendant on Saturday upon their return to Taiwan and said an internal investigation has been launched, as criticism mounted over a social media post accusing the airline of failing to offer sufficient employee protections. According to the post, the flight attendant complained of feeling sick on board a flight, but was unable to take sick leave or access medical care. The crew member allegedly did not receive assistance from the chief purser, who failed to heed their requests for medical attention or call an ambulance once the flight landed, the post said. As sick
The Taichung District Court yesterday confirmed its final ruling that the marriage between teenage heir Lai (賴) and a man surnamed Hsia (夏) was legally invalid, preventing Hsia from inheriting Lai’s NT$500 million (US$16.37 million) estate. The court confirmed that Hsia chose not to appeal the civil judgement after the court handed down its ruling in June, making the decision final. In the June ruling, the court said that Lai, 18, and Hsia, 26, showed “no mutual admiration before the marriage” and that their interactions were “distant and unfamiliar.” The judge concluded that the couple lacked the “true intention of
A drunk woman was sexually assaulted inside a crowded concourse of Taipei Railway Station on Thursday last week before a foreign tourist notified police, leading to calls for better education on bystander intervention and review of security infrastructure. The man, surnamed Chiu (邱), was taken into custody on charges of sexual assault, taking advantage of the woman’s condition and public indecency. Police discovered that Chiu was a fugitive with prior convictions for vehicle theft. He has been taken into custody and is to complete his unserved six-month sentence, police said. On Thursday last week, Chiu was seen wearing a white
RSS