| From a historical perspective, child
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| | which is indeed what happened. The
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| abuse has plagued society since the
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| | A.S.P.C.A. did finally intervene.
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| beginning of time. Two rights have been
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| | Mary-Ellen was removed from her abusive
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| at the core of child abuse: the right to
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| | home and placed in foster care, where she
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| own property, and the right to own
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| | thrived. She eventually married and had 2
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| children.
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| | daughters of her own, one of whom she
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| In ancient Rome, fathers had absolute
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| | named Etta as a tribute to her rescuer.
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| authority over their children. They alone
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| | Mary-Ellen lived to the age of 92.
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| decided which of their children lived or
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| | Mary-Ellen is considered the very first
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| died. Children born deformed, disabled,
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| | case of child abuse in North America,
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| or in any way outside of what was
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| | more because of the historical
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| considered normal, children born of the
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| | significance than the historical
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| 'wrong' gender, namely girls when boys
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| | accuracy. The time had finally come to
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| were far more desirable, would be killed.
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| | protect children as children, which lead
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| Fathers had the right to maim and
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| | to the creation of child abuse laws.
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| brutalize their children without fear of
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| | Today in Canada, the most notable laws
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| retribution. Harsh discipline was deemed
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| | governing child abuse are:
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| necessary to mold the child into mindful,
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| contributing human beings.
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| | 1. Age of Majority
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| In England, children as young as 5 years
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| | 2. Statute of Limitations
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| old were shackled and forced to work
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| | 3. Duty to Report
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| 16-hour-days in inhumane conditions of
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| | AGE OF MAJORITY: A child becomes an adult
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| mines and factories. Cruel overseers
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| | at either age 18 or 19, depending on the
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| frequently goaded these little children
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| | province of residence. A minor child is
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| with whips and prods.
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| | between ages 0 to 18 or 19.
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| Canada must also be accountable for its
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| | STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS: In Canada there
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| part in child abuse history. From 1870 to
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| | is no statute of limitations on reporting
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| 1930, more than 8000 children were taken
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| | and charging someone with child abuse.
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| from the streets of Dublin and London,
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| | Whether the abuse occurred 5 minutes, 5
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| then shipped overseas to Canadian homes
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| | days, 5 years, or 50 years ago, a report
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| where they were beaten, demeaned and
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| | can still be made and charges can still
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| forced to labour on farms and in
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| | be laid. Nowhere is this more evident
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| factories, all in the name of 'shaping'
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| | than with the abuse that went on in
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| their young charges. In fact, these young
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| | Residential Schools with our native
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| people were nothing more than slaves.
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| | peoples. More than 7000 lawsuits have
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| In the late 1800s, a church worker named
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| | been filed against the Canada federal
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| Etta Wheeler forever changed the face of
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| | government, the Catholic church, and
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| parental authority in North America.
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| | certain individuals alleging physical,
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| During a family visit, Mrs. Wheeler
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| | sexual and emotional abuse during years
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| discovered 11-year-old Mary-Ellen, the
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| | spent in mandatory attendance and
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| step-daughter of the woman casually
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| | confinement in these Residential Schools.
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| entertaining Mrs. Wheeler, shackled to
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| | DUTY TO REPORT: Of all the laws, statutes
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| her bed and badly beaten. Too tiny and
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| | and conventions (namely, the UN
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| ill-formed for her 11 years, it was quite
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| | Convention on the Rights of the Child,
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| evident Mary-Ellen was also grossly
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| | which Canada ratified December 13, 1991)
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| malnourished. Some of her scars were
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| | governing child abuse in Canada, duty to
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| visibly healed over, giving a clear
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| | report is by far the most important when
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| picture of long-term and sustained child
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| | it comes to child protection.
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| abuse.
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| | Duty to report dictates that known or
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| Appalled by what she saw, Mrs. Wheeler
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| | suspected child abuse must be reported to
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| reported the severe and obvious abuse and
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| | the authorities. Failure to do so could
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| neglect to the authorities. The
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| | result in charges being laid and up to a
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| authorities could find no law that had
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| | $10,000 fine. The purpose behind this law
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| been broken: in 1873-and even today in
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| | is to ensure that children are protected
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| many countries-what went on behind the
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| | in a timely manner, that children aren't
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| closed doors of the family was considered
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| | being abused for their entire lives.
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| no one's business but the family's.
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| | What are the legal consequences if after
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| But Etta Wheeler was determined: she
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| | reporting, an investigation proves child
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| marched herself into the American
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| | maltreatment was/is not present or cannot
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| S.P.C.A. demanding they do something to
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| | be proven? There are no legal
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| help the battered Mary-Ellen.
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| | consequences as long as the report is
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| Animals were protected, but children were
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| | made in good faith and in the best
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| not!
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| | interest of the child.
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| In order for the A.S.P.C.A. to act on
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| | Save a child: Report known or suspected
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| behalf of Mary-Ellen, children had to be
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| | child abuse!
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| declared members of the animal kingdom,
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